#i might post the progression here but i had posted it on ig before so im note sure i want to connect them

[shayberri789]

Almost done with a painting I've been working on on and off for MONTHS

Very excited to have it complete. I love it sm

[dekusleftsock]

IVE BEEN A GOOD KID AND IVE ACTUALLY LET MYSELF LIKE. THINK ABOUT THE OFFICIAL TRANSLATIONS SO. HERE WE GO BITCHES.

(Along with some other things bouncing around, implications of togachako because of this chapter, maybe even a prediction? This is my FINAL THOUGJTS POST, unless ofc I notice something and I say it BUT HOPEFULLY THIS IS THE LAST AND ITS JUST GONNA BE ME BEING SILLY AND POSTING FANART)

1, i find it funny that Caleb said lickitung than Pikachu since that… totally doesn’t make sense nor was why Twice suggested the name. IDK IM A POKÉMON NERD AND AN MHA FAN SO I JUST FIND IT A LITTLE SILLY.

Like I think Horikoshi chose Pikachu bc it’s the most recognizable Pokémon, along with Himiko’s “chu-chu” noises she makes when she drinks blood ofc, but it was also probably suggested bc… Pikachu has the same blushies that Ochako has…

Not to mention the fact that Pikachu is also representative of Toga’s colors, those of course being red and yellow.

Lickitung makes no sense other than the fact that it paralyzes people/Pokémon by licking them and making them uncomfortable. It’s such a… random gen 1 Pokémon idfk. I can see WHY he chose it, because lickitung is supposed to be a friendly Pokémon that accidentally makes people uncomfortable, but I think Pikachu being said instead just makes far more sense; Pikachu is supposed to be a cute Pokémon. It’s origins in gen 1 were, “I want you to make the cutest Pokémon you can” and the artist Atsuko Nisida had to go through 3-5 iterations of pixel art (bc they would make the pixelated version for the game first AND THEN draw the Pokémon from that) before finally settling on what people call “fat Pikachu” which looked like this

Lickitung works ig by being a Pokémon that ultimately is harmless to people but just accidentally freaks people out and makes them off-put by them, but Pikachu fits much better in a chapter where Ochako calls Himiko’s smile, something we’re supposed to see as creepy, perfect/pretty/beautiful. Comparing her and her cuteness to something like Pikachu just seems like something twice would do anything bc he’s a sweetie like that.

ALSO ANOTHER THING FOR PEOPLE WHO KNOW NOTHING ABOUT POKÉMON: reguri is I think the most popular ship? That might be beat by Selena/ash and misty/ash, but regardless it’s super popular and also is EXTREMELY SIMILAR to bkdk.

This does depend on which version of them you’re talking about, but personally when I read pokespe (the most popular official Pokémon manga, there’s others but that’s just the most well known one) I always thought bkdk were so similar to red/blue to the point it was uncanny. At the time I thought “eh that’s just gay rival tropes there’s tons of other characters in other anime/manga/tv that are similar to them too” but after the mention OF Pikachu and Toga’s purposeful similarities I do wonder if horikoshi was a Pokémon fan in the 90’s during his childhood. That wouldn’t surprise me seeing as the games were such a booming success in Japan (literally it’s the most sold Pokémon games ever nothing has beat it since), so it would make sense if horikoshi was a secret Pokémon fan.

I mean, blues hair is even similar to bakugous but idk, maybe it’s a stretch.

They’re not childhood friends in pokespe, but they are childhood friends in the games, blue bullying him as they got older and pushing red away, red goes and has an emo arc on mount silver by himself without telling anyone, eventually comes down from that mountain in black and white 2 where red and blue are starting to be friends again, and I don’t think they’re seen again until sun and moon where they’re on vacation together in alola. There’s other outside game content that has just… progressively gotten more gay.

AGAIN, IM NOT SURE IF HORIKOSHI HAS READ THE POKESPE MANGA OR IF HE PUT THIS MUCH THOUGHT INTO IT! However I WILL say that if you enjoy bkdk you will probably enjoy reguri and the pokespe manga, especially since it has a more interesting plot than the anime or games, along with being less corny. It’s a lot more… I don’t wanna say graphic but honest? It wasn’t really made in mind that it would be targeted overseas like all the other Pokémon stuff, so it’s just more honest about environmental issues and pet abuse and things like that. Red and blues character arcs and friendship, along with Leaf’s character arc is very interesting just by itself, highly recommend.

MOVING ON… my Pokémon nerdiness aside, I love Himiko’s defiance to conform to hero society especially as a villain. Will she go against this vow because she sees herself as a full fledged villain? I wasn’t really sure.

She didn’t, which is great, but I also think those themes of pity and feeling like Ochako is still looking down on her… remind me exactly of Katsuki.

I also find this page and what toga says quite interesting.

Saying that she KNEW ochako was sad too, that’s a VERY interesting observation to make when thinking of someone you “hate”.

And I like the distinction that Ochako wasn’t afraid of Toga because of her smile being creepy, or that she was trying to harm her or tsu, but because she couldn’t understand why she was smiling during a fight.

More bakugou vibes/lines

If/when they ARE canon, explicitly and completely and all that, then that would make mha a, and idk if it’s the first, shonen GL + BL. That would be fucking crazy.

ALSO THIS? THIS IS ABSOLUTELY NOT AN IZU//OCHA MOMENT… let me explain.

It’s a couple of things: Ochako is not explicitly saying how she wishes she could talk about her love with Izuku, instead it seems to be more framed as talking ABOUT Izuku.

He’s not even looking at her, and she’s not looking at him; no, instead Ochako and Himiko are looking at each other, and talking about the importance to talk about your feelings openly, how she admires that quality to Himiko.

In a way this is Ochako saying “No, don’t become like him, this is why I admire you. That trait makes you admirable, it’s a trait I love in you.”

And lastly, that marriage proposal. Is it REALLY a marriage proposal? How romantic or platonic is this this scene?

Well, I went back and read chapter 348 to find out, and a little detail disregarded, not only by me but everyone else, was the line, “If you ask me, being a couple means being one and the same. Makes sense right? Nothing else… would fulfill my desires.”

And then ochako in 393, purposely bearing her feelings to Himiko and offering her blood to her? Even with this knowledge? The knowledge that Himiko would see this as a confession? Fucking crazy.

For all her flaws, I can perfectly picture why Ochako would prefer someone who sees romance like she does, openly unapologetic about her feelings like she is, over someone who can’t even see a teenage girls confession as an actual confession of love. Way to be selfish Izuku.

(God he would be SO offended at all the shit talking I’ve been doing to him recently HAHA! BUT HE NEEDS TO HEAR IT BC HES AN IDIOT WHO SHOULD BE TAKING HIS FEELINGS SERIOUSLY. How are you going to let the hot headed blonde kid that bullied you be better at this. HOW.)

So yes, I think this is so explicitly romantic, I literally thought this scene would never fucking happen because I KNEW how gay it was, how gay everyone KNEW it was—but god damn. Horikoshi you mad man.

[coconox]

my whb progress

as of nov. 11, 2023

i feel like i should've done this when i finished chapter 4 like weeks ago but better late than never ig

general info

lvl: 31

status: f2p

when i started: launch (10/03 my timezone)

ver: erolabs

team setup

post-halloween event my team consists of 5 light chars, 1 some other element (usually either leraye, belial, or paimon)

before that though i did use marbas before minhyeok, though sadly i'll probably rarely use marbas or any of the healers in the future since the artifacts when they work properly heal faster :')

here's my team in action!

here's everyone with their lvls and artifacts!

skill lvls: (normal attack-ultimate-passive)

mammon (cake): 4-4-4

mammon (selfie): 1-3-1

satan (selfie): 1-4-1

beelzebub (selfie): 1-3-1

leraye: 1-3

minhyeok: 1-3

secret club

i mainly focus on mammon, so i'll just be showing those here. i'm 1 story away from completing mammon (cake)'s and 2 stories away from completing mammon (selfie)'s!

materials

i do the absolute bare minimum for dailies and weeklies nowadays. since most of my chars are higher than lvl20 i've just been focusing on unholy board for most of the time i've been playing. as much as i wanna focus on skills i'm kinda held back by the game's very limited access to pies (you can only get them in shop + it's the rng boxes most of the time). hopefully there'll be more options to get pies that aren't purely dependent on rng in the future 😔🙏

i also wish candies weren't rng either, or there is rng but also an option to exchange one type of candy for another. as shown above i have absolutely way too many candies for the other kings and almost none for mammon :'))) the grind truly never ends

overall thoughts / reflection

this section is just something for me to look back on when i do a progress post again in the future. i'll break this down into sections so i can stay consistent with laying out all my thoughts. also this won't be spoiler-free

STORY

i find it somewhat interesting? i can't really put in a bunch of input since we've only explored one of the many areas of hell. i set my game to have a male mc, and there's still a lot of issues with making pronouns consistent :'). i do have a few cgs missing despite completing all the chapters that are out currently but those missing ones might be for future chapters so idk (kinda bothers me a bit to see missing cgs despite completing everything). unholy board stories are also ok? it's pretty tedious to get through so many objectives for only a little bit of story and also all the h-scenes and devil's tango bits in unholy board stories are written like they were made for wattpad lol

GAMEPLAY

tl;dr very tedious lol

addressing the elephant in the room, i'm aware there's still a lot of bugs. i won't be going too in-depth about them since they're only temporary and didn't make that much of a significance towards my overall gameplay so far (aside from the leather gloves not working, but that got fixed in the halloween patch).

i'm glad we have autoclear in resource stages but i wish we had autoclear in story stages as well (and in the future event stages too). it would also be nice if there was an autoplay feature, though that's more of a personal preference since a lot of games i play have that option and i don't get bored from doing everything manually.

the 6-7 stages in chapter 4 seemed a bit unnecessary? the story itself is rather short so i guess i can understand why they would wanna pan out as much playtime as possible, but at a certain point it does get really boring and demotivating to progress. it also sets a certain precedent for future chapters, if the battles in between each small bit of story keep slowly increasing how many stages will chapter 10 have? chapter 20? i honestly would've preferred 3 battles in between each story, or if you're gonna have 5 battles in between each story, have some of the story in those battles. aside from the tutorial, an example would be in chapter 3 right as the angels attacked the hospital and mammon took mc out with him to fight (3-73). those battles could've 1. gave a tutorial on how to use mammon and 2. talk about how strong he is like in the story right after those battles (3-79).

on a different note, i wish the "meta" wasn't so skewed towards all the l cards. as i progressed through the story i would look up guides on bilibili, only to find that most if not all the guides are heavily dependent on l cards (and levi which is the only king i don't have 💀💀), only non-l card would usually be leraye 💀. it also feels a bit unbalanced considering light and dark are usually the recommended element for every battle and can go against literally every element including their own. i wish there would be more opportunities for other elements and characters to shine and hold up well so that even if you don't have certain l cards, you can progress through the game just as well as those with the certain l cards

RESOURCES

i briefly mentioned this while going through the materials i currently have but i wish a lot of them weren't so rng heavy. it really adds to making the game tedious especially when you have to level multiple devils of the same element. having a resource stage for candies and pies would be great. it would also be great to not make everything so expensive ㅠㅠ 116 gems for one (1) candy?? a multi of red keys costing almost 2k gems?? atp i just focus on leveling up rather than getting pulls

GACHA

after the whole 'minhyeok needing yellow keys' situation i've just been hoarding keys and using gems on stuff like ap since i have nothing else to really use them for aside from pies. the gacha rates seem really,,,, sad, and the fact that the bloodshed cards banner is p2w only sucks, which kind of makes me worry for future cards being released. i got pretty lucky with getting both mammon's signature artifacts, as it's one of the requirements to progress through unholy board, but other than that i never really had the best of luck with any of my pulls. i got minhyeok at hard pity, and it took idek how long to get leraye, my conclusion is just that my luck sucks in this game lol

[gemapples]

Rant away my friend

apparently a few people wanted me to vent about the kirby novels so head in hands ig i'm gonna go for it LMAO (this is inspired directly from @desultory-novice 's posts about it)

ALSO IM SORRY IF THIS IS SO DISORGANIZED gonna be honest i forgot a good half of what i wanted to talk about. But Anyways. please note that all of this is entirely My opinion you ofc dont need to agree and despite everything i actually really love and enjoy the kirby novels a lot !!

so okay after hearing her talk about the reason we're likely not getting a magolor epilogue novel and knowing takase's erm.... Infamous reputation regarding how she handles magolor's character that had me thinking a lot and. Wow i'm kind of Really nervous for how this magoland novel will turn out actually because a lot is kind of at stake here when you think about it

takase will either be forced to actually develop magolor's character, or she will just completely scrap everything that happened earlier, remove any mentions of the epilogue and go straight back to square 1 where magolor is -- once again -- the villain of the story. Don't get me wrong i like evil magolor a lot lol i think if done right it can be a very enjoyable portrayal of his character. but there's only So many times you can make a character the antagonist before it just gets straight up exhausting y'know

i think it's ESPECIALLY different in terms of magoland. This might be a cold take idk lmao but merry magoland isn't just some wacky little theme park magolor created out of the blue for no reason. It's something that signifies and sets in stone how he's a changed character. Merry magoland is magolor's dream he's had for a really long time by his own words and truly shows that all he's wanted to do is make people have fun and be happy. if you make him the antagonist in that, that completely just fucks up Everything relating to his character and renders that entire development null and also invalidates all the hardships he's gone through to make that happen

i do think takase's portrayal of magolor is fun! i do enjoy it and i do appreciate how he has a hard time communicating his desires and showing true friendship. i think that's important. one of magolor's most significant flaws is how he has a hard time understanding how friendship is supposed to work and what to do when you have friends. but maybe instead of making him the villain. Over and over and over again you could idk... have him Learn?? and actually Develop from his issues??? i know waddle dee is a completely separate character but for the sake of comparing to another person who has gone through a huge amount of development in the novels -- why can't magolor do the same? why is it constantly so insistent that he be the one causing all the problems for no reason other than haha it's funny (in most cases at least. i know dreamy gear was different and i will give it a giant shoutout for that)

i'm so sorry if i sound too harsh here i literally don't know how to word it otherwise lol i think it's important to emphasize that despite everything i do like seeing magolor's character in the novels. but it just gets to a point where it's Grating to me at times and depending on the scenario is just completely inaccurate. that's why i think magoland is such a huge point for us here with a lot on the line -- if she chooses to not make magolor the antagonist and make it accurate to the game's actions and desires, that will be an essential key for his development and showcase that we're actually making progress with his character. but if she chooses to make him the antagonist again, the potential for him being something more than a villain -- which is RIGHT there -- is completely wiped

afaik magolor and kirby's friendship was also mentioned and i just want to throw out there. merry magoland happened because of kirby. merry magoland happened because of magolor's friends. kirby, meta knight, dedede and bandee are the reason merry magoland exists. so if takase chooses to not acknowledge any mention of that and make magolor go against them all, that also erases the potential of magolor's relationship with other characters as well yknow... the characters he's gone against for this whole time? it also makes no sense whatsoever??

so yeah this is a bit long but there's just a lot to either look forward to or dread about this novel -- or even both lmao -- the more i thought about it. i want to have a decent amount of hope that i could be wrong here, maybe takase will take advantage of what she has to work with game wise and create something truly special. but throughout all of magolor's appearances in the novels... *hand on mirror* it seems like all of his character is constantly scrapped in favor of treating him like some apathetic irredeemable character with no regard for others or understanding friendship. so that's kind of a hard pill to swallow

[kry3talline]

10.23.2024 Overall Rating/Performance- 5/10 So, today was kinda...off. Breakfast started out okay; I can't skip out on this one, since I eat with family. But I ate mindfully, bare minimum, and didn't overeat! I was so proud of myself too (1 egg white, some berries, cucumber, some tomatoes). I would give myself a 6/10. Meanwhile, for lunch I kind of messed up; I was starting to feel the hunger pangs pass, and I was doing so well; I honestly feel like I could've gone without it, until I actually took out my food ( I give half to my friend since she doesn't bring her own and doesn't get to eat at home-). Had some cucumber with berries at first, before breaking and having a smaller amount of potatoes and pork loin. Potatoes legit SCARE ME. These were fried too;so, a 4/10. Dinner? I was planning on skipping, but I knew I had a meeting with friends coming up, and whenever those happens, I recently have been ending up bingeing if I go over hungry. I wanted to prevent that, so I had some yogurt with fruit and chia seeds (no nuts, thank god; I'm working on that habit.) Then, when my friends were having brownies, I managed to yap, and they didn't notice until later; when one of them pointed out I didn't have any, I felt compelled to take some....and I'm not sure how to explain it, but any time I give myself permission to have a bit of a treat, I lose control. I ended up going back for seconds and thirds, and ending up with peanut butter and Nutella too. So, uhm, 1/10. The only thing I can say that came out good is I was CONSIDERING going back for fourths and taking another biscuit, and having pumpkin butter when i got home (this is so fucking embarrassing to type, I literally CANNOT-right now-), but I recalled some posts I saw on here..."don't compound on your mistakes". Anyhow...I don't feel physically ill. So,uhm, yay ig? I know I probably reverted a LOT of my progress since today was a 'rest' day and Ive been on my ass all day, so I'm not going to weigh myself until Sunday evening- I NEED to lock in Thursday-Friday since Saturday is hoco, and we're going out for dinner. Might try the Cassie method. I actually need someone to send me m3eanspo or something;self-control is practically non-existent here. Stay safe lovelies

[fainthedcherry]

I can't wait to memorize this day Oh a picture could not contain The way it feels You say live in the present I’m already dreaming of how it begins And trying to savor the moment But I know the feeling will come to an end

SO

I

CRAAAAVE-

(BEAUTIFUL Outfit seen on the character here designed by Imaddictedtomememes on DeviantArt!!! ♥)

Been a while since I posted, since I'd gotten super busy!!!

I gotta go to sleep ASAP, as I got work tomorrow, but have a post, before I do go offline, of a drawing I did as stress-relief (I really needed some all week now)

Thaaat I finished freshly off the press, just a few mins ago LMFAO

I've lately had an identity crisis w/ my sona's design for the millionth time LOL. Sooo yeah..Might take a while, until I get a redesign done, that makes me feel comfy w/ my change in identity since 2023 dfdsklg, being bi-gender is hard sometimes, as you feel like the biggest devil, for just asking someone IRL who doesn't get it, to refer to you as he/him on a day where the dysphoria gets REAL bad yknow?

But I digress- this drawing is set to Paramore's Crave!!! Andddd also obv the lyrics are in said drawing LOL. I made 3 diff versions of this drawing's BG but I chose to stick w/ one bc I hate posting several versions of a same drawing tbh sflksdgölsd

Oh yeah, also, ever since MediBang updated to allow for timelapses...You bet I'm gonna use it SDSKDLFSLKDG

SOO YEAH!!!! ENJOY DRAWING WHILST I MIGHT POST AGAIN SOOOON BC OF ARTFIGHT N STUFF. And yes I know I add butterflies everywhere, to almost every drawing but SHUSH they're like a comfort-drawing thing or comfort animal ig sdgfkldsklg, it helps de-stress and I just ADORE THEM.

By the by, plan to maybe draw more often in Medibang, ever since I paid for a subscription to their service lol, totally worth it. I love the brushes and used almost purely premium brushes in this drawing dklgsdklg

^Anddd maybe Ill do more timelapses on my ko-fi and stuff!!! I feel like it'd be cool to record more progress on my like..ACTUAL artstyle art yknow, not this doodle stuff sdgklsdkg

[andthebubbles]

so uh i’m kinda getting the urge to make a lot of seb gifs; i also still wanna change my ao3 icon/make a seb gif for it (i know exactly what i want) ... i also am getting the urge to write... and i also wanna play cities skylines. perhaps i should do one more day of CS, and tomorrow i’ll probably have more of that nagging feeling of wanting to write? (i also have Actual Work to do, but it’s not urgent, and it’s really boring, so it’s not being done sksjnkfjgnfkg)

so there was one day where i only played CS for a few hours, so i never made a progress report/post on it.

ETA: have some pics!! i took screenshots, i forgot i did:

the SPUI! ^

and from above:

(i should probably change the big roads colour to match the highways... later...)

i also got rid of the flowers on the roundabout... and actually today i can replace the cobblestone one way road with a normal tarmac road:

and i did line markings for this junction, but it’s out of date now/i upgraded it yesterday to 3+2 lanes going up to Hill (and forgot to take a screenshot), so, yeah:

also i had my first fire. not bushfire lol. i don’t mind fires ig but hmm i thought the spread was just a bit too far/unrealistic. however, idk, i’ll leave it for now/not look for a mod

ANYWAY, as for yesterday, well i spent most of the day playing CS haha... even though the anarchy mod broke gkfjngkfjkfdj. anarchy makes your life so much easier... plus i couldn’t do some stuff yet without that mod so i just left it unfinished. anyway i hear it’s working again so hopefully when i start up/get into the game, it all works fine!

okay, pics time:

overview!

i mostly worked on Bottom last night. i gave it a metro station, which i may change to a train station... idk yet. not really clear how i should use metros tbh because we only got metros really recently

Bottom is looking bottom-ey:

the metro station! i went and got some non-vanilla ground metro stations, i’ll see if they’re nice/work and if i like them i’ll swap this one out. also i have a bus terminal for future use/i’ll need it

yeah i still don’t know exactly what i wanna do with the Services 1 district/how big/small to make it:

so i made this lil thing and i thought it was nice!

some terraces at Far Bottom:

i seriously love RICO rn

i made a metro depot/repair yard (yeah i know it doesn’t look right with those tracks, that’s why idk if i’m keeping it as metro (if the tracks i got today with wires overhead work, then yeah maybe) or changing it to trains (after the train traffic jams i got in my previous big city, i wanna stick to metro, or have train lines entirely separate from the intercity/cargo ones)):

more terraces at Bottom (the uglier/more industrial side of it):

and rundown tiny houses (sort of like those old working class cottages before they got all spruced up in the 2000s or something here):

and this is central station... although, again, it might be completely changing depending on whether i pick metro or trains for the main rail transport within the city...

gonna put an intercity bus terminal around here too. and a big tram interchange when i get the trams in!

okay that’s all for now!

[eazy-group]

Tracey lost 74 pounds

New Post has been published on https://eazydiet.net/tracey-lost-74-pounds/

Tracey lost 74 pounds

Transformation of the Day: Tracey shares how she lost 74 pounds. What kept her going was feeling better, looking better, and seeing positive changes in her overall well-being. She worked with a coach who helped her become more disciplined about her eating habits and transformed her workout routine.

Social Media Tracey

My Coach Kurt

Message from Tracey’s Coach, Kurt: “Tracey’s remarkable transformation is a testament to the holistic approach of Brooktree Consulting. I believe in empowering individuals to achieve their best selves through tailored health, wellness, and lifestyle management. My expertise, cultivated over 25 years, is dedicated to guiding each client on their unique journey to wellness and vitality. Discover more inspiring stories and begin your path to a healthier, more vibrant life at www.brooktree.life or follow me @brooktreeconsulting on IG or FB. Your journey to transformation starts here.”

What was your motivation? What inspired you to keep going, even when you wanted to give up? My main motivation was the moment I realized I might need to buy size 16 pants. It was a wake-up call. What kept me going was the noticeable improvements in how I felt and looked. Seeing positive changes in my body and overall well-being gave me the drive to continue, even during tough times.

How did you change your eating habits?

I changed my eating habits drastically. I stopped eating a lot of French fries, pizza, pasta, and sweets – basically, foods that were my go-to before. Initially, I still allowed myself some treats but made healthier choices. Working with Kurt at Brooktree Consulting was a key part of my transformation, where I made more disciplined dietary changes.

What is your workout routine? How often did you workout?

I used to frequent the gym at least five days a week. My routine began with warming up on the bike, followed by a session of weight lifting, and concluded with running on the treadmill for an hour. Step aerobics was also a part of my regimen. 

However, this changed when I started working with Kurt. He advised a different approach; initially, he scaled back my intense workouts and had me focus on simply walking every day for several months. This period was dedicated to establishing foundational habits. Once these habits were firmly in place, we gradually introduced a more structured and well-planned cardio routine, along with strength training. The specifics of my workout routine vary according to Kurt’s program, ranging from a 3-day to a 6-day split.

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?

My weight once peaked at around 211 pounds. The lightest I’ve reached was approximately 137 pounds. Ideally, I feel my best when I’m around 143 pounds.

How tall are you?

I stand 5’4″.

Is weight loss surgery part of your journey?

I was able to achieve my goals naturally and without surgery.

When did you start your journey? How long did your transformation take?

I began my journey in 2019 and achieved my lowest weight about a year and a half later. However, the transformation journey continues, evolving through different phases. It started with initial weight loss and has now progressed to a focus on strength training. My current goal is to build lean muscle mass while reducing body fat and maintaining a stable overall weight. Therefore, the transformation from 211 to 137 lbs took just over a year, but my journey toward improved health and fitness is ongoing.

What is the biggest lesson you have learned so far?

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is the importance of a balanced lifestyle. It’s not just about exercise or diet alone; it’s about getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, being mindful of what I eat, and seeing food as fuel rather than just something for enjoyment.

What advice do you have for women who want to lose weight?

Be consistent and honest with yourself. It’s important to find a balance that works for you and to make changes that you can sustain in the long term. Also, don’t be afraid to seek help and guidance from professionals like Brooktree Consulting.

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[idleglowingpixels]

Can't remember if I said this already or not, but I finished the drawing I had made, I'm just nervous about posting it XD Bianca's not really in Ch. 6 outside of the beginning if memory serves me right, so it doesn't exactly fit with the chapter but I might release it with the next update anyway

Incoming ramble, only adding the Keep Reading thing so this long post doesn't clutter my blog as you scroll haha, it's kind of an XXY mini-update but also just a blog update in general

I think my main thing is that initially, I wanted to keep my Tumblr & AO3 separate from my main accounts but my art style would very clearly give me away if you happened to find my main username. But at the same time I also...Don't really care??? Like I'm a very passionate person about the things I make, and while it may be seen as cringe or some stupid shit, without fanfiction, fan art and just fan work in general I would NOT be nearly as good at most of what I do as I am now. Fandom over the years has brought me a LOT of like, unruly mess, but it has also brought me so far along on my creative journey.

In fact, the only reason my username here & on AO3 is different is because I had felt a sense of like shame in it at first ig, especially since I started on AO3 posting XXY at 17 and wanted to be able to abandon the account if I felt the need to. (Don't worry, I no longer feel that need, I wouldn't have made a Tumblr blog for my fics if I did)

But now I'm the furthest into XXY than I ever have been, and Ik the pacing has been relatively slow (we've progressed a grand total of like...3 days within the span of 5 chapters XD) but a lot goes on in the beginning and dynamics are re-established for the characters and the Teen AU thing -- point is, I'm proud of how much work I've put in and with I believe a 22k word count by the time Chapter 7 drops, that's already a lot of work I'm proud of for me.

Also since G3's release last year I've been working on releasing my Monster High AU character designs around this October/November (1 each day for a total of I think 33? Cause Jackson & Holt and Meowlody & Purrsephone were gonna have their designs posted together, I have to double check my list), along with a few one-shots if I ever find time to get around to them, and those designs do NOT take a short amount of time for me to complete so I was gonna be like "idgaf" either way eventually XD

Thing is I like both of my usernames so instead of altering all of my accounts to one or the other, my main will be where I'm more professional and focusing more on developing a portfolio of completed works, whereas here I'll just be a little more unhinged lmao

Might make an alt Instagram to match this account so I can focus my fanfics and art and stuff over to that account XD But idk

Now enough about me and my self-reflections, here's what to expect next month:

Chapter 6 is looking just fine for release on July 7th, I'm feeling pretty good about it (probably because it's Butch's POV haha) and I'm excited for his and Buttercup's dynamic to really be shown off since Chapter 3 didn't have them around each other much. I've got an event to attend tonight and a couple of things to do tomorrow but I should be able to give Chapter 6 the usual final edit on Sunday.

Like I said before, I'll probably share my Bianca & Barbara drawing on the Chapter Update post and I'm hoping I'll have a drawing of our 6 leads by the time Chapter 7 rolls around. I've been very much in an art mood lately so it's been taking up a lot of my time, and I've also felt really rejuvenated by drawing to get back to writing little by little.

Also before you ask, unfortunately I might have an update gap between Chapters 7 & 8, as my writing has been very slow over the last 3 or so months. I do apologize for that, but I hope you understand. The last few months have been a lot on me to say the least, but I love sharing XXY with you all, and I just really enjoy seeing emails from AO3 when I check it pretty much every morning. I'm so happy to have others enjoy my work. That being said, I'll do my best to make the gap as small as possible, and hopefully I'll only have to skip a month or something.

Thanks for reading my rambles, and as always, the link to XXY is in my introduction post.

[beardedhandstoadshark]

what are your current wips?

I just posted my last "actively working on it“ WIP after half a year of it being dormant lol sooo ig there’s just the "work on it from time to time when feeling like it“ and "it’s a WIP but the IP part is only here in theory“. That and my attempts at learning how to play keyboard, it sure is a work in progress so it counts right XD

Anyways, for actual drawing wips in order there’s currently:

Stuff that’s still got progress:

Kirby feat. a butterfly (and me not being sure if I should make it nighttime in this drawing cuz the shading would look weird and it makes the butterfly look sus plus I kinda like it being daytime for a change? Even though it’s less dramatic and aaaaa)

Attempt at cleaning up an old drawing I found in a notebook that’s probably supposed to be a version of Zelda from post-Majoras mask I think? So that’s what I went with

Legend of Etria: Odyssey of the Wild (aka an edit of a portrait from Etrian Odyssey to make it look Link from breath of the wild (and wolf link))

Sky kids! All the different sky kid personas I‘ve got over time playing sky: children of the light

My oc’s but they’ve got not-fantasy/normal clothes (based on a character creator app) but I’ve only drawn 3 out of 5 so far + Violet and Deniz could use redraws tbh. Red is good tho! That same drawing of her is the pfp I’m currently using for my "sorting oc stuff“ sideblog so there’s a fun fact for ya)

Attempts at redesigning [water spirit fish person oc whose placeholder name rn is Ao], the rightmost one is the og design and it might still be the best one idk

Stuff that’s not actually in progress rn and idk when/if it’ll ever be:

Basic looking picrew I‘ll probs never complete (took too many categories and different colors on at once, got overwhelmed/bored)

Basic drawing from some challenge that never went anywhere (it just seems like one of those content farm drawings yknow?)

My :| faced oc Yel having a rare :D face because of the goodest of good boys who’s a wood doggie w mushrooms growing cuz he was abandoned before (it’ll never go anywhere but it’s a cute concept so I had to put it here. Look at the good boi! And the :D smile! The :D smile because of the good boi!)

[jangyeevns]

plenty of articulate, self-serving narcissists exist in politics.. js but some of y'all might wanna capitalize on that avenue bc you'd fit right in

[assassins-and-hidden-blades]

I kept meaning to send in a request when I saw you hit 1.2k. CONGRATULATIONS by the way!

Could I ask for number 14 off of the 'normal prompts' list? With mentor ezio and the gn!reader/m!reader from arrows and accidents?

Again Congratulations!!!

07/07/2022: AHHHH YOU'RE REFERENCING ONE OF MY FICS!! love u forever tim (?) YES ABSOLUTELY; that fic is one of my favourites! I hope I can do you proud once again! (Thank you so so much!! So kind of you <33) I'm gonna slap this one in the same universe as A&A, then, and hopefully add some seasoning!)

A/N post writing: this was supposed to be a drabble o.O also Ezio might be a little OOC but we'll find out ig lol -- I tried to do this quite quickly to get the ball rolling so I'm sorry if it's a bit of a wonky one!

M!Reader x Ezio Auditore

#14: "You're telling me to calm down? You're the one who's been shot!"

You were a better assassin than before the accident.

After recovering, you had trained twice as hard to regain your lost time, rebuilding muscle and remembering old muscle memory, the familiar feeling running deep through your bones.

What you couldn't evade, however, was your mentor's watchful eye.

Every wince, every phantom pain, Ezio would notice. And every time he'd notice, he'd force you to take a break. At first, you listened; it was important to ensure you didn't make anything worse. But as time went on, it became more of a hindrance to your training; chronic pain would be something you'd have to deal with from now on, and Ezio could not keep interrupting your training like this. Some days were more manageable than others, but there were still times where you found yourself clutching a table or leaning against a wall to stop your knees from buckling, and Ezio had helped you through these episodes each time. The training had improved the pain, but your skills were not progressing at the rate they should be, because of one man in particular.

"Smetti," Ezio said once again. You swallowed the groan in your throat, from both the pinch in your abdomen and the irritation growing in your chest. You panted heavily, glaring at Ezio, who was leaning against the fence, staring at you and your sparring partner.

"Ezio, please. This is getting out of hand."

"You will not perform your best when you are in pain."

"What will happen if this happens on a mission? I cannot just ask the Templar with the axe to wait while I catch my breath." He sighed, avoiding your gaze. "I am fine, Ezio. I am recovered. I am more than well enough to go on missions again--"

"No."

You gritted your teeth. "What?"

"You aren't ready."

Running a hand through your hair, you huffed. "Fine... What if you came with me?"

Ezio raised an eyebrow.

"I'm serious. If you don't think I can look after myself in the city, why not come with me? Then I can prove to you that there is no need to worry."

He paused for a moment. "I will talk to Mario."

The excitement that flooded your veins suddenly grew hard to suppress. "You will not regret this, mentor."

"Hmm." He released an amused hum, before vaulting over the wooden boundary to the villa.

-----------------------

The mission was simple; recover the intel from the courier.

The caveat? You weren't exactly able to hide in plain sight.

"Un altro?" you muttered to yourself, ripping another poster off the side of a building. It was a drawing of Ezio, albeit with his hood up, but his outfit stood out in any crowd who knew what they were looking for. "Ezio, I'm beginning to think you should consider keeping to the hideout until you lose some notoriety. You never said--"

"Non dire sciocchezze, Y/n," came the reply. You turned to watch him peer around the corner, no doubt watching for Borgia patrols. "They won't even know we are here."

"You're only here because you don't trust me."

"He's here." Ezio ignored you, disappearing around the wall.

You blinked. "Ezio, wait!" You ripped the poster into pieces before pursuing into the mass swarms of people. The crowd was thick in some places and thinner in others, and your eyes slipped from his form multiple times. You pushed between all these people, who gasped and cursed you for your impertinence each time you gently pushed them aside. Bending around the crowd, you paused when you saw a group of four soldiers whispering among themselves, eyes fixated on the group of people Ezio stood with.

You battled with what to do; your mentor seemed unaware, his own attention focused on the courier in the opposite direction. The only instinct that came to you (rather slowly, you reckoned in hindsight) was to distract. Picking up a jagged stone by your feet, you moved as close to the patrol as possible, before finding your target; a horse. You waited until it came just past the guards before throwing it at the horse's rear with considerable force. It landed on target, and chaos erupted as four hooves became two, clawing the air in surprise. With the guards' attention averted, you crossed the street, grasping Ezio by the shoulder. "Mentor, we must leave. It's too dangerous."

He watched the scene unfold, face almost unreadable. "Bene," he said. "The courier will house himself at a brothel for the night; we shall infiltrate under darkness."

You released a tense breath, relief replacing it.

"Assassini!" A hand shoved you forwards, and suddenly you were running. The cobblestones bit through the soles of your boots as Ezio led the way, ducking into back alleys. He led as if he had built these hidden paths himself. You ducked into the shadows, not taking a second to register the route.

Almost to safety, You both turned the last corner, practically freezing in your tracks. "No," Ezio muttered. "Cazzo!" Ezio ran to the crates blocking the alley. The docks lay on the other side; a shipment just landed in port. You glanced at the walls of the buildings opposite; smooth as butter. The raucous shouting grew closer. You turned back to Ezio, who was similarly scanning his surroundings, before his gaze dropped to the corner of the blocked alleyway. "Y/n! Here." He gripped the underside of some lodged crates and pulled, creating a gap just big enough to slip through. "Go."

"Mentor--"

"Go!" He strained under the weight, and you dropped to crawl through the small opening he created. You rushed to reach the other side, scrambling to your feet to transfer the weight. "I have it!"

The crates drastically grew heavier as Ezio released them, and you gasped under it; you had not yet recovered to your peak strength, and this sudden extremity challenged your body.

A gunshot went off.

"Ezio?!"

The crates pinned you to the spot; you could do nothing but wait. When his arms emerged, you couldn't help but sigh, inadvertently lowering the blockade. "Y/n!" he chastised.

Shifting again, you pulled the crates up for the few seconds Ezio had to escape. Once he pulled himself onto one knee, you dropped the crates. "Ezio, stai bene?"

He was as still as a rock, breathing deep. For a moment, he attempted to stand, before collapsing onto his side with a groan. "Ezio? Ezio?!" You moved to his side, eyes scanning for injuries before you caught a glimpse of the blood seeping out from his fingers. Ezio's face was slick with sweat already, Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed. "Tell me what to do! Tell me how to help you!"

Your mentor's free hand grabbed you by the scrunch of your robes. "Calm down."

"Calm down?!" your voice cracked. "You're telling me to calm down? You're the one who's been shot!"

"Listen to me; you are going to get on the gondola, and you are going to row down to Rosa in Fiore."

"And you?"

"I will follow."

"I will row us both."

"Y/n, you are not strong enough--"

"Shut up, Ezio, and put your arm over my shoulders."

He released your robes, and you grasped his arm to pull it over you before he could get away. Holding him against your torso, you heaved yourself onto your feet, carrying as much of Ezio's weight as he allowed you. His breathing had become laboured, and he still carried much of himself on his feet. "Ezio, for the last time, trust me to let me help you. You are the one who is breaking now; let me save you."

The long pause indicated the consideration of his decision, before finally, Ezio slouched against you. The victory motivated you to the dock, where you aided Ezio in a guided collapse onto the wood. Jumping on board, you grabbed the rowing oar and pushed against the river bed. The gondola rocked slowly as you turned the boat around.

"Mio Dio," Ezio cursed, unbuckling his cape. He wrapped it around his waist before knotting it tightly above the wound, wincing as more blood oozed over the fabric. You rowed harder as the gondola soared down the river. A sudden strike hit your abdomen, and you faltered for a moment. "Y/n?"

Standing up straighter, you stretched the muscle. "I'm fine, Ezio." Powering through, the gondola quickly got back up to speed, and you found yourself behind the Rosa in Fiore in good time.

"Help! Someone help!" Women looked out of the window of the manor-like building, and as soon as they saw you both, gasped and moved out of view. You hauled Ezio out of the gondola and onto the dock. "Ezio, can you walk?"

"... Sí." His eyes opened slowly, and he began to move onto his knees even slower.

You sighed at his stubbornness. "Stay still." Rolling Ezio onto his stomach, you pulled him to his feet from under his arms. Leaning him over your shoulder, you slipped your arm between his legs and pulled him evenly across your shoulders. Grasping his wrist, you carried him with a free hand to open the backdoor.

In the foyer, you were being ushered into the first room by the back door. Most, if not, all the women were huddled to try and understand the commotion. "Ladies! Go to your rooms!" You looked up to see Maria Auditore rushing down the stairs.

"Signora Auditore," you greeted quickly, before carefully lowering Ezio onto the bed. He let out a weak pained noise.

"How is he?" she asked.

"Not good. We need Leonardo."

"Claudia left to find him as soon as we heard. He does not live terribly far."

"I'll prepare the supplies."

Maria nodded before moving to the bed to check on her son. "Get this off of you," she ordered softly, attempting to free the wound of the fabric.

"Mother," Ezio warned in a whisper, sending a look her way. Maria raised her hands in sarcastic surrender as Ezio worked to undo the robes over his torso.

"Y/n, come and help him."

You turned around, stunned. "W-With what?"

"I'll fetch the equipment. You tend to the patient, seeing as said patient has grown out of needing his mother's help."

Swallowing, you moved to Ezio's bedside, unbuckling his belts and sheaths and pouches. Untying the knot, fresh blood began to pour from the wound as his eyes rolled to the back of his head. "Ezio, hey!" As soon as you pulled his shirt away to expose his bare chest, you pressed his cape back down against the wound with one hand and grasped his face with the other. "Do not sleep on me now," you growled, tapping his cheek until he grew more lucid.

The door suddenly burst open. "Ezio Auditore! What have you got yourself into now?" Leonardo entered the room and walked straight to the dresser, where a washbowl and some instruments lay. "Maria," he greeted, passing the bowl and cloth to her. He also grabbed a long sheet of linen to cover the bedsheets. "What are we dealing with, Y/n?"

"A bullet wound."

"Bene," he muttered. Quickly, he picked up a leather belt and folded it in half, before handing it to you.

"If you would like to pass out, now would be a good time," Leonardo said as you placed the leather between Ezio's teeth. "Hold him down."

You held his elbow and hand against the mattress, much like he did to you all those months ago. Claudia mirrored your action. Maria pressed his ankles into the bed. Leonardo took this opportunity of quiet to begin the search for the bullet. Ezio threw his head back, groaning in agony. The entire time through the procedure, he had no rest, muscles contracting and relaxing through shockwaves of pain.

"Aha! I found it!" Leonardo pulled the metal ball out and onto the bedside table. Ezio reached up slowly and slung the leather out of his mouth onto the floor. "Quickly, the wine!"

Ezio, dazed, confused, and weak, blinked. "What--" He could barely writhe as the alcohol was poured over his stomach, swallowing a cry of pain down his throat.

"It's done now, Ezio. Try to get some rest," Leonardo took out a needle and thread. It seemed to you that he had finally listened, and his grip loosened as he finally fell into a deep sleep.

You leaned against the bedside table, taking a breath. "You were more difficult, you know," Leonardo said, eyes focused on the stitching.

"How so?"

"Ezio will live. There is no doubt of that. But with you... There was too much blood. No one could have predicted whether you would have survived the night. I am just glad you did."

"Really?" A part of you felt guilt for causing such worry.

"Maybe this will teach him to trust his favourite student. He knows you are capable; he just worries."

You sighed. "I know."

Leonardo had finished stitching the wound, wiping clean the blood with the bowl and cloth in Maria's hands. "If his condition changes, call for me." He looked between you and Maria.

You nodded; you weren't going to leave Ezio's side until he woke, and you had a feeling Leonardo knew that. "Thank you, Leonardo. Truly."

He nodded, getting up to a spare bowl on the dresser to wash his hands. "Of course. Anything for my reckless friends."

You hummed in acknowledgment, eyes scanning your mentor's face. A wave of guilt washed over you as you took in his clammy skin and pinched eyebrows, never fully at peace. "This was my fault."

"No, no, no, don't you go blaming yourself for his injuries, as he did with you. Mio Dio, it's like you are the same person." Leonardo gathered his things. "Here is my advice: get some rest, and when Ezio wakes up, talk to him."

He left moments after, leaving you and Maria alone. "He is right, you know." Maria tended to her son.

"Yes, yes, I know."

And so you waited, never leaving his bedside, waiting for the dreaded discussion of "I told you so" to a mentor so stubborn, not even an ox could move him.

---------------------------

Taglist:

@marshmallow--3 // @yourlocalfrenchie // @rahdaleigh // @sofia-t-g /// @iceboundstar // @mythandmagik // @itseivwhore // @pink-polarfox // @missbenzayb // @alleycatbookstore // @timbreavery // @dacian-assassin // @thepalaceofmelanie // @asilverraven // @danzalladaggers // @eclectic--assassin // @thehistorynut19 // @ta-ka-shi-ma // @roki3chocoa // @fandomsfanman // @le-nottibianche // @bandit-brunsmeier // @starmoji1 // @spocktheestallion // @salty-thembo // @missingfrye // @xdeimos // @connorsleftbicep // @timeless-tende

[beneathashadytree]

Hi! i hope you're having a good day <3 your Reiner fanfic appeared on my tl and I want to say it was AMAZING fr, but u made me hate Karina a little more (if that possible lmao)

And u made me think now that we are talking about the warriors, can u try to write a zeke fanfic where he falls in love with a Paradise devil and takes them to Marley after the Shinganshina fight? Feel free to ignore and thanks ^^

(2/2) OH OH and please if u take my request the reader has to be an Ackerman, maybe Levi's cousin if u want.

THANKS ❤

SEALED - ZEKE YEAGER X READER

Warnings : implications of sex but nothing is mentioned, some descriptions of bodily harm (kudos to Levi of course), this is not proof-read at all, reader is gender-neutral!

Genre : fluff ig? Idk really

Word count : 4.4K words

Synopsis : Zeke's curiosity has no ends, and it's the reason why he has a whirlwind love story.

Additional notes : I am so so sorry, as you might've seen me post about last week I've been swamped with work ever since you sent in your request, so I haven't been able to write much. I apologize in advance, since I'm not that familiar with Zeke's personality in comparison to Levi's for example, so it might be a little OOC. I hope you enjoy reading it though, and I'd love to hear your feedback!

Requests : Are open! Check the rules over here.

Want to support me financially? Here’s my CashApp!

Masterlist

When he met them, it wasn't Zeke's first visit to the proclaimed infamous island of devils, but it certainly was the most remarkable.

The first time he'd been to Paradise Island was, as expected of the Wonder Boy Marley had claimed their own, part of a mission he'd been given. He was told to go inspect the environment and the way they lived, to try his best and figure out the best course of action so he could carry out the titan experiments the military asks of him without drawing the Eldians' attention to the issue at hand.

He'd given it thought for a bit, before coming to the conclusion that the safest option would be to scout the outermost villages; the ones least likely to cause a commotion should a problem arise, and that was why he currently found himself trekking the dirt road that cut through the lands between the walls the island dwellers called Rose and Maria (he wondered what their namesake was; he'd make sure to ask sometime later on).

Once he'd hopped off the trusty horse he'd been riding day in day out since the ship had landed on the shore, he found himself standing in front of a wooden archway that seemed to announce his entrance into the boundaries of a rather neat village. Run-down as it looked in comparison to the bustling Marleyan cities bursting at the seams with the population and progressing technology, the village looked like it was flourishing just fine with the isolation.

"Wish I had some sort of translation book on me," he murmured to himself, pushing his spectacles up on his nose as he squinted, trying his best to read the lines he vaguely discerned as letters that resembled that of the Marleyan alphabet.

It took him a couple of seconds, but he was finally able to pronounce the name,"Ragako Village," with a hum, before tying his horse to the nearest post in an attempt to be as inauspicious as possible---something helped by the fact that he'd been dressed in simpler and far more muted attire than the usual military get-up.

Taking his time to eye the orderly stables as the caretakers shushed neighing horses, watching as little kids that barely reached his knees fought over who was to take the biggest loaf of bread, and almost tripping over a man who seemed perfectly content with sitting down in the middle of the road to tug at the weeds as he hummed a soothing tune, nothing about this village seemed out of the ordinary or even made it stand out at all to Zeke. In fact, if he hadn't stumbled across the ruins, he would've probably initiated his plans without so much a second glance. And yet here he was, head cocked to the side as he looked at the remains of what resembled a chapel with interest.

Hand on his chin, he stepped closer, softly saying to himself, "Odd, I thought the religious sects were behind wall Sina..."

Before he could step inside the half-destroyed chapel with curious eyes, he was stopped by a sharp voice.

"Unauthorized personnel are not allowed to enter. Please refrain from breaking the law when you're clearly not from Ragako."

As they sighed, he turned to see a person clad in proper attire that didn't seem to fit the atmosphere of the village in the least. Without sparing Zeke a glance, they crossed the threshold and began to make their way inside, earning an arched brow from the blonde.

"You're one to talk. You stick out like a sore thumb, and that's delicately put," with a pointed look, he watched as they scoffed, before tugging a small piece of paper from the bag they carried over their shoulder.

"As a matter of fact, I do have permission," they said, eyes not unkind but seemingly rather empty, "I am a journalist, after all."

A look of surprise on his face, he tried to look for anyone in the vicinty, "Where's your cameraman then?"

Frowning, they sounded confused, "Excuse me?"

Quickly catching onto the fact that this was probably one of the things the island was ignorant to the existence of, he shook his head, "Nothing, nothing," with what looked a bit like a longing look, he gave the ruins another once over, "I'll be off then."

Before he could lament his inability to inspect the glass windows up close, the journalist in front of him stepped forward, hesitating a moment and then speaking up, "If you would like that, I could have my piece directly sent to your place as soon as it's published."

Smiling, he only waved them off, "I'll see your editor once he has it done. I really can't wait that long."

"Traveling?" they asked politely, eyeing his odd lack of carry-ons, and he nodded in reply, to which they simply pulled what looked like a business card out of their pocket and handing it over to him, "You'll find the details of my editor and publisher over here. It should be ready in two days."

Another mildly shocked expression crossed Zeke's face, "Impressive. Thank you, anyways," and before they could give him a reply, he was already stuffing the card in his coat pockets, turning away to make his way back to where his horse was waiting obediently, cooing as he brushed her glossy mane, "I suppose we'll have to make it to wall Sina in just under two days, won't we, Betty?"

***

"Well, this certainly wasn't what I expected," Zeke chuckled two days later, a certain lilt in his voice as he admired the tattered badges and sashes in the glass cabinets littering the four walls of the room, "I had something else in mind when you mentioned that the editorial room was designed to your taste."

"My taste is to pride my family name without being targetted," they shrugged, picking up the steaming teacup from the table as their guest stepped closer to the glass, pushing his spectacles upwards to have a clearer view in order to try and make a head or tail out of the prized posessions.

"Pardon my asking, but what are these?" he asked, curiously eyeing every artifact, "They look rather old."

"They're from the first Ackermans that served under the king directly," pausing as they sipped at their tea, a smirk formed on their lips, "If anything, they're the reason why I've lived for so long."

Arching his eyebrow at her comment, he wanted to inquire further in that direction, but chose a tamer question, "How are you related to them?"

"My father was an Ackerman," setting the teacup down, they stood up to join the blonde man, "Haven't the slightest idea where he is now, though, and there's no point in trying to fish him out," with a shake of their head, they sighed, "The name's been sullied one too many times, and now most Ackermans with any common sense are in hiding."

This only served to pique Zeke's curiosity; he'd be a liar if he claimed that he didn't want to know just how much the journalist knew about the King and what he'd done; of their true heritage; if the Ackermans played any role in this play the King had constructed a hundred years ago. But, knowing all too well the risks, he once again remained quiet about his thoughts.

"Why aren't you in hiding?"

"No point in it, I will be hunted down either ways," they chuckled lightly, and it sounded oddly pleasant to Zeke, who'd grown so accustomed to barked orders and stiff talk that hearing something so lighthearted in comparison caught him off guard, "Being a journalist means that I'm not exactly loved, because I don't always serve what the public wants to hear."

"Controversial, I see," he couldn't control the grin making its way on his face and the way he was making it so blatantly obvious that he was hanging on to their every word.

"That's one way to put it, yes," guiding him across the room, he looked on in awe at the multiple trophies in the cabinets, before his attention went back to their words when they spoke again, "It really does seem like being hated on is an Ackerman thing, though."

Surprised, Zeke snapped his head back to look at them, "You mean you have siblings?"

Shaking their head, they slumped back into the large chair at one end of the small table, an open invitation for Zeke to sit once more, "No, none, but I do have a cousin. His mother was my father's sister."

"Does he work as some sort of public figure then?"

Pausing, they laughed, and Zeke could feel the flush forming on his cheeks at the delicate sound, "He shouldn't be, considering his position and abrasiveness, but he is. He's the captain of the scouting legion in the military."

"Must have a lot of fans, then, if he's anywhere near as magnetic as you are," the wonder boy rested his chin on his palm, probably not having realized just how flirtatious his words came off as being.

But really, considering the laidback expression on their expression, it seemed that neither of them minded the saccharine words.

Finger tracing the rim of the cup, they nodded towards the paper in front of Zeke, their lazy smirk not letting up as they pushed the article with the words 'chapel' and 'Ragako' in the title towards him, "Tell me if it meets your expectations of me over chamomile tea next time."

***

Half a week had passed before Zeke had the opportunity to speak to them again, considering the fact that he had to carry out some orders that had been given to him from the homeland. Loitering around was good fun and all, but he couldn't forget the real reason he was on this island he pitied so much in the first place.

This time, when he knocked on the door to the editorial room, he was tugged away to their own quaint little house, with the excuse that 'they were out of tea here', which seemed viable enough of an excuse to him---but he had to admit, he was rather flustered by the fact that they seemed to want him around just as much as he wanted to get to know them on a more personal level.

Pouring the warm tea with the soothing scent wafting from the cups, they watched as Zeke absentmindedly stroked his beard on the couch, a calculating look in his eyes as he tried to decipher the meaning behind this invitation, not wanting to get ahead of himself and misreading their intentions.

"Is this about the paper?" he asked, before arching his eyebrow, "If it is, I hope you know you most certainly surpassed any expectations I had for you. It was riveting to read."

With a mysterious smile, they took a seat beside him on the couch, leaving only a few inches of space between them, leaning against the armrest as they met his piercing grey gaze with an equally trained look, hovering between being enticing and looking pleased, "As flattered as I am to hear that, what if I wasn't going to ask about that?"

For some reason, their soft voice was as calming as the tea he'd just sipped on, bringing about a very similar warmth too. Hoping he wasn't wrong in assuming that their intentions truly were what he had believed they were to be, he leaned in closer, cheek pressed into his palm as he decided to play along.

"Really?" with a chuckle, he gave an inviting smile, "Then what would you want of a mere traveler?"

They were so much closer now, their features much more defined and their perfume all the more captivating when they were in such close proximity to him, and Zeke couldn't bring himself to look away when their plump lips spoke again, "Whatever you have to offer."

Pressing his thighs to theirs as they were now sidled against each other on the couch, he could count every blemish on their face if he want to---only he couldn't break their eye contact; not even if he wanted to.

"I'll be gone in a few days though," he was much quieter now, words heavy in the air, "And you don't even know anything about me," their index finger delicately drew shapes on the muscle of his thigh, and he had to hold back the shiver he wanted to let loose at the contact.

"I'll just have to wait for your return then," they grinned, something akin to mischief painting their face, "And I'll learn whatever you want me to know."

He could only hum in agreement, as though signing an unspoken contract, before he closed the gap between their lips.

Sweet, was all he could think they tasted.

***

True to his word, he disappeared on them little more than a week after they started their daily escapades. He didn't know what had him so reluctant to leave---the fact that he might never come back? The feel of their skin against his, warm and throbbing with every time they entwined? Or the way that he---for once in his literally damned life---truly felt alive with someone who wanted to hear more about him? For whatever reason it was, Zeke found himself wanting to go back as soon as he'd left.

The opportunity presented itself to him when---a few years after having watched their tiny world get reduced to little more than ashes as according to the plan Captain Magath had set for the four youngest Marleyan warriors---he was sent back to the very same village he'd first stumbled upon them and the first place they'd bewitched him. If he hadn't known better, he would've believed that they truly were a devil in that aspect.

Still, Zeke knew he couldn't defy the orders given to him just to frolick. Pieck had long noticed his distraction, as he silently prayed to whatever deity that they wouldn't be on some sort of excursion within the vicinity, because that would only spell trouble for him.

"War chief Zeke, it's time," her hoarse voice was almost unrecognizable, and she could only snap him out of his daze when he'd double-checked that their horse was nowhere in sight, "We have to start the operation before they catch onto us."

Nodding his head, he indicated the spots where the Marleyan soldiers were to place their gas cannisters, "Think we have enough of my spinal fluid in this? It's pointless if it isn't concentrated enough. My powers can only do so much."

A hollow sound that resembled a laugh came from her titan form, "No need to be humble, you are our wonder boy, after all."

Thanking her politely, he waited until all the gadgets were set up in the exact same locations he'd marked and every single cannister was spraying the volatile gas into a thick wall of smoke that drifted to spread over the vilage.

Glancing towards Pieck, who did her best to nod in that form, he broke into a sprint, roaring into the fields and pathways filled with paralyzed bodies. In an almost apocalyptic scene, the blinding yellow light served as nothing but a mere warning, before the still bodies turned into hulking titans that towered over Zeke, who must've looked ridiculous amongst their huge forms that cast shadows over the remains of the entire village.

Before he could hop onto the horse, he gave Ragako one final sympathetic look, "They were doomed from the start," with a tired sigh, he turned to the cart titan, "Let's go, Pieck. We've done our part."

Having to wait for the ship to come pick them up meant that the two warriors had a few days to spend doing whatever pleased them. Pieck told him she'll be looking for good books to buy with the allowance she'd been given, and he'd bid her off with the promise of meeting at the dock by the end of the week. Though she seemed curious enough, she didn't ask him the questions he knew she wanted to ask, and he was rather thankful for that because he doubted he would've been able to give her a truthful answer.

Without any further questioning, he found himself knocking on the door of the place he hadn't seen in so many years. Part of him dreaded what he'd see on the other side, wondering if the new garden in the front was the idea of someone else he'd yet to be acquainted with; someone who'd taken his place when he'd only served as a whirlwind affair.

But none of that happened. The door had swung open, and all he'd seen was a slightly more barren house that belonged to a slightly more worn-down person. Zeke found himself at a loss, not knowing if he belonged there anymore when everything was---at the end of the day---technically all his fault. He was a criminal, and to this day they hadn't the slightest idea just how much he'd sinned; just how much he'd wrecked the place they'd called home and yet still invited himself over.

His train of thought was interrupted by that somewhat cynical smile that had sent his feelings into disarray dozens of times before, "You took your sweet time coming back," and with that, they pulled him inside once more.

With a glance around, he noticed the piles of papers scattered around the room, "You've been busy, I see."

Sighing in exhaustion, they pushed aside some of the half-scribbled documents, "Sometimes, Levi asks for favors from the press in favor of the scouts. It's not easy for them now."

He joined them on the couch he remembered vaguely to have spent their first night on, "It'll be even harder after today."

Confusion laced their voice, "How do you know that?"

Leaning in, he knew that if there was any hope in pursuing something with them, then he had a lot to explain.

"Do you still want to learn more about who I am?"

***

This time, he didn't know whether to feel pride at the angry red scratches at his back or to feel ashamed by them---and it had nothing to do with the fact that he was lost in the arms of an Eldian (after all, he wouldn't be lying if he said he'd never given a damn about that, only wishing to provide solutions without resorting to blind hatred). With his cigar dangling lazily between his teeth, he didn't know what to think.

Guaranteed, he thought as he puffed smoke from his lips, their reaction wasn't anything unexpected. As he'd predicted, they knew a fair share of information, their father---a Kenny Ackerman whose whereabouts were still unknown---having left behind a jumble of letters explaining what his own ancestors had told him, though it really wasn't much in the first place. The bastard child had grown up on their own, with only that information, telling them of their inheritance and what little of the world history was known to their clan. It was only normal that they'd grow horrified at Zeke's confession, and it was only normal that they'd barked their disgust at him in a fit of rage.

Though he had to admit, the part where they'd sniffled and pulled him closer wasn't something he'd predicted. He hadn't foreseen that they'd fall into bed in a flurry of tangled limbs and torn off clothes, and he certainly hadn't expected the way they'd egged him on to distract them from the fact that they were forbidden with the body and lips and presence they'd somehow missed so dearly.

A lonely child, and an even lonlier adult, he'd never thought he'd one day have someone's arms wrapped around him as they napped peacefully. In all honesty, as he put out the cigar that had been burnt to a stub, he doubted he deserved it. After all, the island's blood had seeped into his fingertips, and it could only get worse from here on out.

Maybe it was his smoking that had roused them from their sleep, or maybe they'd already rested well, but for whatever reason he found them sitting upright, curling into his much warmer chest.

"If doomsday were to come, would you come with me?"

They blinked twice, before naked hips came into contact with his as they lay ontop of him, "Where will we go?"

Fingers running delicately through their hair, he spoke matter-of-factly, "To Marley, my hometown."

"Like that's any safer," they rolled their eyes, looking away from his earnest gaze.

"It isn't destined to be destroyed, not yet."

They scoffed, "So you want me to leave the place I've lived in my entire life? To leave my cousin behind for dead?"

"Because this island will be flattened and I don't want you to die?" he arched his eyebrow, taking his glasses from the bedside table to see their softened expression properly, "Then yes, that's exactly what I want. I'm a very selfish man, after all."

"Zeke, it's not---"

"I know," he interrupted, "It's not easy, and it's not ideal, but I don't want to lose the one person who makes me feel something," he huffed, carding his fingers through his blonde hair impatiently for the first time in quite a long while feeling like a restless teenager, "It's up to Levi to save his own skin."

Rubbing at their eyes tiredly, they remained quiet for a while before speaking into his chest, "He'll bring you hell."

Squeezing them tighter, he could only reply, "I'll welcome it gladly."

***

Like a prophecy coming true, months later, Levi's sword had successfully ripped off half his face, plunged deep into his skin as he tried to scream in agony. He'd gravely underestimated his skill, though he should've listened to his lover's claims of his strength.

"You," the ebony-haired man spat out, venom lacing his words as he dug his blade deeper, knocking into his skull, pain searing through his body as he twisted it into Zeke's face, "You're the scum I'd seen with my cousin in town."

Barely able to choke the words out, Zeke could only say, "Bit rich of you to call me scum, don't you think?"

"I'll call you whatever the fuck I want," he hissed at him, raw unadulterated fury directed towards the bespectacled titan shifter underneath him, the look telling him just how much he wished to rip him from limb to limb, "You don't get a say in this when you've laid your filthy fingers on my family."

It took Zeke all he had in him not to chuckle at the sheer rage being emitted from him. The hostility only made him more amused, and he clearly wasn't all too good at hiding how he was feeling, because Levi seemed to determine that he needed to plunge his blades deeper with a sickening squelch.

The words on his tongue turned into pained howls as Levi gritted his teeth, "You deserve to die twice now, you piece of shit."

"Won't," he garbled out, teeth knocking into the metal blade.

Narrowing his steely eyes, the shorter man was about to deliver the dealing blow, knuckles white as he gripped the handles of his blades tighter, but Pieck's movements were far more trained and honed to let that happen, and within less than a second, she'd snatched Zeke's mangled form into her mouth, with Levi narrowly missing her teeth as he swiftly jumped away.

His escape route now available, he could barely register anything around him as his body struggled to heal itself as rapidly as he possibly could, but all he could manage to say to the cart titan was one thing, "As we planned."

She didn't have to voice her confirmation, taking advantage of her larger form to bound across the land to where Zeke had told her the person she was ordered to pick up was staying. Amongst the rubble and remains of houses they stood, clad in all white, a sign of the rebirth Zeke had promised them; sticking to their word and to their plan, no matter how much of a traitor it painted them as, and no matter how much of their heart they left behind on the island of devils.

Their alarmed face was rather humorous at first as Pieck landed with a slam of her large body right in front of them, barely missing them, but they quickly calmed down as they saw the steam rising from between her teeth.

"He's... healing?" with hesitation they asked, and Pieck could only nod.

They carefully wrapped their arms around his torso as she loosened her teeth's grip on him, allowing them to tug at Zeke's barely conscious form and pulling him up on her back, where they tried their best to untangle the mess of leather straps and metal so they could create a makeshift saddle they could strap him down on.

Though Zeke knew it was a rather disturbing sight for them to see for the first time, limbless and tattered almost beyond repair, he marveled at how they kept their disgust to a minimum despite normally being iffy about anything that involved getting their hands dirty. With as little pain being inflicted on him during the process, they were soon tapping his newly-reformed thigh, hissing a little at the heat as they sidled in front of him.

Sitting still for a few minutes, he could feel the resounding pain growing into more of an itch with numbness, his spinning head growing steadier. Twitching in place, he nudged them with his knee, trying to alert them to his consciousness.

"A little better now?" their voice sounded a little rougher than he was accustomed to, and it hit Zeke just how huge the magnitude of what was about to happen would be, and how a small part of them must've been beyond terrified but refused to reveal itself to him.

Still feeling a bit sore, he nodded, rasping out, "We're going to leave for Marley now. No backing out."

"No," they agreed, a heavy sigh escaping them as they leaned down to grab at Pieck's neck for safety, and the blonde man could here the resolute determination in their voice as they repeated after him, as though sealing their fate with unbreakable wax, "There isn't."

Taglist: @blondeboyfriend @mrsgiovanna

[renegadewangs]

Van Zieks - the Examination, part 4

Warnings: SPOILERS for The Great Ace Attorney: Chronicles. Additional warning for racist sentiments uttered by fictional characters (and screencaps to show these sentiments).

Disclaimer: (see  Part 1 for the more detailed disclaimer.) - These posts are not meant to be taken as fact. Everything I’m outlining stems from my own views and experiences. If you believe that I’ve missed or misinterpreted something, please let me know so I can edit the post accordingly. -The purpose of these posts is an analysis, nothing more. Please do not come into these posts expecting me to either defend Barok van Zieks from haters, nor expecting me to encourage the hatred. - I’m using the Western release of The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles for these posts, but may refer to the original Japanese dialogue of Dai Gyakuten Saiban if needed to compare what’s said. This also means I’m using the localized names and localized romanization of the names to stay consistent. -It doesn’t matter one bit to me whether you like Barok van Zieks or dislike him. However, I will ask that everyone who comments refrains from attacking real, actual people.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

It’s time to take a close look at Episode 2 of the second game, The Memoirs of the Clouded Kokoro!

Episode 2-2: The Memoirs of the Clouded Kokoro

Remember how in the last episode we vaguely got Barok on our side near the end of the trial by proving Mrs. Garrideb was actually involved in the crime? … Yeah. Forget that progress. It's being undone. Case 2-2 is the first case of the second game which features Barok, which unfortunately means he needs to be 'reintroduced' to the audience and it takes him back several steps in his growth. It makes sense, I suppose, it would've been weird starting a new game with him already being lightly on Ryu's side. Even so, it's a bit insulting how this case acts as if the chronologically previous one accomplished nothing.

So anyway, this case flashbacks to something which supposedly happened right after the first game's fourth case. The day after Soseki's acquittal, even. Turns out, Soseki awoke to find one of the other tenants in his building dead and asked Ryu for help, but (S)Holmes tagged along. Gregson is at the crime scene, keeping an eye on the place and on Soseki in particular since he's suspicious. (Sure, Gregson. Sure. Has nothing to do with the Reaper's curse, probably.) After some investigation with (S)Holmes, Gregson has enough evidence to actually arrest Soseki, which definitely feels like a step backwards. A bit later, it turns out the victim is Not Actually Dead Yet. Again! The Great Ace Attorney really enjoys throwing us for a loop by pretending we're in for another murder case.

Anyway, during the course of the investigation, I found two mentions of Van Zieks. The first is when you investigate the broken glasses and bottles in the victim's room. Susato is immediately reminded of Lord van Zieks.

And when examining Garrideb's old army uniform, Susato points out it might suit Lord van Zieks.

Haha, as if his usual outfit isn't ostentatious enough already. So we learn that Susato doesn't have a very high opinion of him at all, and I should hope it's not still related to that time he called detective novels pathetic. It's fun of them to refer to him in an investigation that he's not involved in in any way, especially when they don't know yet that he's the prosecution again.

Speaking to Soseki in the gaol, we're once again told that he's had a dreadful time in England so far. He sees foreigners everywhere and he's sure they're all laughing at him. He's been so on edge the past year that he's moved 'more times than he can remember'. So once again, we're reminded that racial prejudice in 1900s England is a focal point of this game's story. Once the conversation is over, Gregson appears to let the gang know that the victim has regained consciousness and is accusing Soseki of poisoning him. We're going to trial for an attempted murder charge, y'all!

The next day, in the defendant's lobby, Susato comes bursting in with the dreadful news that Barok van Zieks has once again taken on the prosecution. It's definitely safe to assume now that either Ryu or Soseki is the reason he's taking on these not-really-murder trials when he normally wouldn't. As I mentioned before, this is his reintroduction in the second game and so the game feels compelled to remind the player of what went down in case 1-4:

He sure did! The game also once again reminds us what the Reaper's Curse entails, and that perhaps that's the reason why Soseki is on trial yet again. He's doomed, perhaps. Susato also informs us that (S)Holmes is running late, just as he was two days ago, and Ryu thinks that's a good thing because if the Great Detective were there, Ryu might come to rely on his help.

… I suppose? He already relies on Susato for help and I feel like that would warrant far more 'preying' from Van Zieks than relying on a male, adult British detective for help. Though knowing (S)Holmes, he'd end up stealing the show and taking the words from Ryu's mouth, but that doesn't seem to be what Ryu's worried about here. I suppose the main point to take away from this remark is that Ryu wants to do as much as he can by himself. He wants to appear strong in front of Van Zieks to avoid presenting an easy target, and I think this might actually be the first time we see a sentiment like that from him. Is he afraid of Van Zieks? Does he actually care about the man's opinion? Anyway, he swears to show Van Zieks what a Japanese lawyer can do.

Inside the courtroom, Van Zieks does the usual prosecutor spiel about how the defense needs to be ready for defeat. Ryu thinks to himself that Van Zieks has a particular animosity towards Japanese people for some reason.

Good thing we got a second game in the series, eh? So because the defendant was on trial only two days ago, the same jurors were chosen where possible. The only juror not returning is Mrs. Garrideb, who's too busy being in prison. Her spot is now taken by a very fancy lady we later learn to be the wife of the Altamont Gas Company's owner. She may as well be the CEO herself with how she's acting, though. Anyway, Van Zieks addresses the jurors directly.

“However, the innocent verdict afforded to this eccentric Nipponese before... has had dire consequences. Did the accused repent for his wrongdoing in that affair? Far from it. Instead, he used his freedom to perpetrate a most blood-curdling crime!”

Van Zieks makes record time by taking off his cloak immediately after this line. He's gone straight into overdrive. The witnesses summoned this time are Inspector Gregson and... Soseki? It's very irregular for the defendant to be testifying, especially this early in the trial and especially by the prosecution's request. I can't really make much of it. It feels like the only reason Soseki is testifying is for this joke:

Also found when examining the testimony is a remark from Van Zieks that I honestly found shocking in how ferocious and scummy it is.

Unnecessary, that remark. It didn't need to exist at all in my opinion. So after Ryu shatters the testimony and scatters Gregson's fish 'n chips, Van Zieks calmly pours himself a glass of wine. I have to be honest, by now whenever he does this I'm left wondering what he'll do next. Will he crush the chalice? Will he throw it? Will he actually take a sip? The versatility of the action and unpredictable nature of Van Zieks add a bit of suspense. Turns out, his mind wandered during the testimony.

And then he ends up crushing the glass in his hand anyway. Alas, poor chalice. We knew it. So after a bit of debating back and forth about whether Shamspeare drank the supposedly-poisoned-tea after Soseki left the room, Van Zieks suddenly falls silent. We get three different, consecutive frames of him going “......” and when the judge asks what's wrong, he says this:

Supersonic hearing, this one. That is, unless the carriage entered the courthouse and literally pulled up in the hallway outside the room? Haven't we learned our lesson from the last time a carriage was driven into the Old Bailey?! So Shamspeare was apparently subpoenaed by the prosecution and has shown up to testify (with his doctor's permission). Bad news for us, since he's the one accusing Soseki in the first place. There's also a second witness to support Shamspeare's insistence there were no other visitors to the room and therefore only Soseki could have poisoned him. After that testimony is over, Van Zieks gets his wish and all the jurors vote guilty.

Van Zieks really seems to think that Soseki is a terrible person deserving of justice, huh? He was right there during the previous trial, saw Ryu prove without a shadow of a doubt that Soseki was innocent and still insists that justice will be done “this time”. Calm the heck down man, you're the one who sided with us when Mrs. Garrideb needed to testify, remember? And here comes another example of the game pretending the previous trials didn't leave an impact; when the Summation Examination is brought up, it's with disdain and this remark:

Bro, we used the Summation Examination successfully like five times already. Sit your butt down and watch the show. The jurors once again give prejudiced reasons for their decisions:

And unfortunately, instead of changing their minds by proving Soseki is a morally upstanding, innocent citizen, Ryu instead gets through this Summation Examination by basically proving Shamspeare is a worse person than Soseki. That's... not the direction you should be taking here, narrative. After convincing four of the jurors that Shamspeare is a fishy liar, Van Zieks flings another chalice of wine in frustration. The judge still thinks he could technically pass a ruling on the trial, since the new information didn't exactly disprove that Soseki is the culprit, but the jurors have been influenced so thoroughly that they can't let this new info go ignored. Testimony from the Altamont Company is allowed! Van Zieks thinks it's a waste of time, of course, and if this were reality it would be. Since it's an Ace Attorney game, we know Shamspeare's gas thievery is bound to somehow be related to the incident. Van Zieks flings yet another chalice after hearing the testimony (how many has it been already? Five?) and very shortly after, he tosses the entire bottle over his shoulder. Susato points out that he seems to be in a violent mood. I feel like someone must've pissed in his oatmeal that morning, because I've got no real explanation for why his character regressed this badly in the course of what chronologically was only two days.

Van Zieks flings two more chalices as the testimony progresses to prove that Shamspeare made fake coins to fool the gas meter. At the end of it all, he supposedly 'throws his hand up in despair and happened to catch his hallowed bottle along the way', flinging yet another one of those into the gallery. I'm starting to feel very bad for the people seated behind him now. Is the game overdoing these quirky animations to compensate for his regressed attitude? Because I'm not sure it's working... Van Zieks continues to insist that the situation hasn't changed and only Soseki could have poisoned the victim, so he calls for immediate adjucation. The game gives Ryu the option to either object or wait and see, and I have to be honest, this gave me pause. After what happened with the penalties in case 1-4, I was sure Van Zieks might dish out more punishment for waiting and seeing. Turns out, he doesn't. Ryu points out that Shamspeare likely used the tea to make these fake frozen coins of his, meaning there's still tea left at the scene of the crime which can be tested for poison.

Head in my hands right now. Again, I get it, they basically had to reintroduce Van Zieks to newcomers of the game (however few there might've been) so they had to regress him a bit, but I really don't like this. He honestly felt like he'd grown at the end of 1-4 and the game's not only undone it, it feels like they've made him even more of a scumbag. This line and this gesture honestly doesn’t quite correspond with the character established in the previous game. Anyway, court adjourned till the next day so the police can test the tea for poison.

During the investigation segment, we get a conversation that I'd quite honestly forgotten even exists. Turns out, (S)Holmes and Van Zieks are acquainted! ...or are they? (S)Holmes says he 'must pass the time of day with Mr. Reaper again, as it's been too long' and when asked whether they're acquainted, (S)Holmes replies that there isn't a person in the world who doesn't know his name, expertly dodging the question. Naturally, a new conversation topic opens up about it, so we can still attempt to needle more details out of him.

He explains the history of the Reaper's curse a bit more. Previous defendants found not-guilty would 'disappear from the capital' by falling under a passing carriage, drowning in the Thames, succumbing to a sudden fever... Etc. Susato points out that if those rumors are true, then surely the obvious conclusion would be that they were killed by Van Zieks's own hand. (S)Holmes points out that's impossible, since Van Zieks was already investigated on the matter before and for every single incident, he had a solid alibi. (This... doesn't disprove Van Zieks had anything to do with it, but okay (S)Holmes. Sure.) (S)Holmes also rubs it in yet again that Van Zieks retired from the courts five years ago and didn't return until the day Naruhodo arrived. I honestly don't know why they keep bringing that 5 year hiatus up in every single case, because as far as I can recall it was never fully explained or relevant.

I love how “foul smell” is wedged in-between those two topics as if it's also related. Anyway the conversation continues when Ryu brings up that Van Zieks seems to have a particular disdain for Japanese people. Susato demands to know whether (S)Holmes knows a bit more about it and while he's silent at first, he relents and tells us a tale (which will apparently be forgotten by Ryu and Susato in case 1-5). Van Zieks “chose to enter the legal profession ten years ago, but before that time, the man's closest companion hailed from the empire of Japan”. Which is a wording that baffles me, because it implies that Van Zieks chose to enter the legal profession at the same moment that Japanese person betrayed him, which we know is not the case. He was already in training to be a prosecutor before that, otherwise how could he possibly have prosecuted the Professor trial? Ryu is shocked and asks to know more, but (S)Holmes says the veil on the events from the past will be lifted soon enough. I'll get back to the implications of what this means for Van Zieks's backstory when we hit this exact same reveal in case 1-5.

Van Zieks is mentioned very little in the rest of the investigation segments. We only learn that he tasked Gregson with finding new clues, much to Gregson's dismay, as there isn't much to be found. The Inspector does immediately leap at new information when we uncover it, which implies he's eager to either please Van Zieks or avoid being scolded by him. I'm assuming the latter, but it's also possible Gregson feels guilty over the whole Reaper thing and Klint's autopsy, and is now compensating by working his hardest to fulfill Van Zieks's requests.

At the very end of the investigation, when evening falls, (S)Holmes reminds us that “it'll be hard to escape the grip of our friend, Mr. Reaper”. The next day, in the defendant's lobby just before the trial begins, Ryu thinks to himself that he doesn't believe in the legend of the Reaper any more than he believes in the convict's curse Soseki keeps mentioning. What's interesting here is that Ryu isn't dreading the confrontation anymore. After the McGilded trial he seemed genuinely intimidated by the concept of going up against Van Zieks (not because of the racism but because of what happened to his first defendant), but now he's not so hesitant anymore. He's beginning to see that Van Zieks can be defeated, that the Reaper thing is nonsense and that protecting his client is a fight worth fighting.

Into the courtroom we go for day 2 of the trial! When the judge asks about the results of the tea test, Van Zieks is silent for a moment. He pours himself a glass of wine, asking for a moment to “savour a liquid of a more sanguine hue”, then refers to Gregson for the full report. Gregson confirms no poison was found in the tea remains, but the prosecution wouldn't be the prosecution (and the game would be pretty boring) if they didn't have a backup plan. When Ryu proclaims Soseki is innocent, Van Zieks accuses him of jumping to conclusions, “a typical Nipponese reaction”. It's also a typical prosecution reaction to be hypocritical, no surprises here. He throws his chalice (first one of the day) and summons Shamspeare back to the stand to testify about how Soseki's unpoisoned and undrank cup of tea had been used to make the ice coins.

There's some lines here that I thought I might as well include:

“Yet on occasion, tedium distracts me and I pour more times than I intended until the bottle is dry.”

You know, it occurs to me that this drink is pretty much confirmed to be wine. He's very extra when talking about it himself, but he had his silly little wine analogies in the previous case and Susato referred to his glasses as “wine glasses”. And you would think it's obvious that it's wine, but we know Ace Attorney's long history with 'grape juice'. Either way, this dialogue leaves a pretty harsh implication that Van Zieks drinks alcohol simply to distract himself from troublesome moods. Sure, he says “tedium”, but this is a stoic prosecutor in the year 1900. They referred to depression as “melancholia” back then, and since he doesn't appear to have any friends, I expect he experiences “tedium” quite often outside the courtroom. He apparently set a rule for himself not to fill his glass more than seven times during a trial which, in turn, implies he's aware any more would cause problems. All of this is moot, of course, since 80% of the wine he pours for himself ends up on the floor between shards of glass. Still, though... Zieks, are you okay?

I don't think he is, because he pulls a very dirty trick here. Ryu proves Soseki drank all his tea and therefore it couldn't possibly have been used, so Van Zieks insinuates to Shamspeare that perhaps he misremembered using the tea from Soseki's cup and instead used tea still left in the teapot. An excuse Shamspeare happily takes, of course. Not gonna lie, I got angry, not because it's a dirty trick but because it's inconsistent. This is the very same character who all but dragged Mrs. Garrideb down from the juror bench to testify when it became clear she likely threw a knife out the window. And now he's feeding slippery excuses to a man who's very clearly lying about all sorts of things? What??? And remember this incident, because I'm going to be referring back to it later.

He crushes another chalice, removes his cloak and continues to insist that we should believe this thieving liar at the witness stand. The jurors for some reason buy the baloney served to them on a tinfoil platter and even twist Ryu's sentiments around, with some bloke going as far as to interpret the situation as 'the lawyer lad believes anyone who steals gas deserves to be poisoned'. Summation Examination gets very funky this time around, with the outcome being that Shamspeare probably blew the gas pipes (s-snerk) and the poison was laced on the pipe.

Van Zieks pours himself a glass of wine and pretty much immediately flings it, saying these are all empty assertions without a shred of proof. When Ryu presents the picture with the skin prints, Van Zieks once again breaks the rule of the prosecution staying silent during Summation Examination to point out that skin prints cannot be used as evidence, since that method is not recognized by the court (yet). Aaand he crushes yet another chalice in his hand.

Susato claims it was never meant to be used as official evidence, it was only a tool to demonstrate a new possibility to the jury. Jumping through some loopholes here, we are, since the picture is clearly in our Court Record as evidence. But, well, the prosecution cheats too so what's the harm? Some jurors vote not-guilty, but there's still one more that needs convincing on order to keep the trial going. Ryu says he has a witness who's already testified that the pipe-blowing incident did indeed occur that night, as Soseki stated the other day before the court that his stove went out in the dead of night. (Hang on, is this why the narrative made him testify alongside Gregson?) With that the majority of the jury votes not-guilty and the trial has to continue, but Van Zieks is extra rattled now. (Another bottle goes soaring.)

He once again reminds the court that skin prints aren't admissible evidence and therefore, there is no real proof Shamspeare put his mouth to the pipes (ghghhh I'm sorry this is such a silly thing to have to type out). Ryu asks for an investigative team to test the mouth of the gas pipe for poison, but since it would've evaporated by now, that's a no-go. Also, Van Zieks says that “what appears to be simple is my Nipponese friend's mind” and that's a scumbag point. Ryu attempts to turn the trial around by claiming that Shamspeare attempted to kill Soseki, making the defendant the victim, but Van Zieks ain't having it. The aggrieved being the accused is an interesting notion, but doesn't change what actually happened. In fact, if anything, it establishes a motive for Soseki to lay a trap for Shamspeare. Because who else could have known about the gas pipe trickery and put the poison there, right? Why, the true culprit, of course.

Our man Van Zieks really doesn't like (S)Holmes, huh? A tidbit which the games will never bother to explain! Either way, Ryu raises the name of Olive Green, the victim of the previous case. And I gotta say, I do genuinely like the way they integrated these two Clouded Kokoro cases together. The chronology of everything that went down is very fun to decipher, but long story short, Olive Green was at Briar Road the day she was stabbed for a reason and knows more about the 'convict curse' Soseki and Garrideb kept mentioning, so let's drag her into court! Van Zieks agrees to subpoena Miss Green in order to 'see his Nipponese friend's farce through to its conclusion'.

So during intermission some more evidence is handed to Ryu and when trial resumes, Van Zieks continues to be his usual self.

“The prosecution has tried to extend every courtesy to this amateur newcomer from dubious Eastern shores.”

Ryu sweats bullets as he meekly thanks Van Zieks “(for his backhanded consideration)”, but once again the judge is the one to call Van Zieks out on his attitude.

Amazing. It's so refreshing to see a judge who actually disagrees with the prosecution's haughty attitude problems and acknowledges it has no place in a courtroom. Nothing against Udgey, because we all love Udgey (and his Canadian brother), but this man actually grows and learns. So Olive Green takes the stand alongside Shamspeare (maybe not the best idea since Ryu just accused her of trying to murder this man) for dual testimony. When Green brings up what a dreadful ordeal the knife to her back was, Van Zieks says this:

Hang on, empathy? He's giving her advice? This reeks of humanization! Green seems taken aback and thanks him for his words, so the sentiment was genuinely accepted. This in itself is a very nice scene to see in action, similar to Van Zieks allowing Roly Beate to keep his job. Unfortunately, Van Zieks's character is in a wild rollercoaster of moral inconsistency during this particular case which sours the experience somewhat. Case in point:

YOOOU hypocrite! This actively angered me, because at the very start of this same trial day he was personally feeding lies to Shamspeare. Now he's warning Green not to lie? It gets even worse a bit later on when Green gets cornered about stealing the note, she asks him whether it could all be some sort of misunderstanding, and he says:

ACTIVELY FEEDING SHAMSPEARE A LIE. THE VERY SAME DAY. I'm all for prosecutors using dirty tactics. It helps to juxtapose them further to the honest defense attorney we play as. However, it needs to be consistent. Either a prosecutor condones a witness's lies to help their case, or they feel that they're above it. The third, most used option is for them to start off condoning it, only to learn that truth takes priority over victory. This sloppy back-and-forth morality that Van Zieks has going on here is insanely frustrating, so it's no wonder some players end up disliking him. It honestly feels as if they rewrote this case so many times, they screwed up the exact growth trajectory Van Zieks has.

Anyway, it seems Van Zieks is suddenly fully on our side now to help Ryu prove that Green was in Shamspeare's room and laced the gas pipe with poison. And I mean help help. When the judge points out that if Green had laced the pipe the very same day she was stabbed, the attempted murder would have happened six days ago. Van Zieks is the one to say “Perhaps not, My Lord” and explain Briar Road was full of police at that time. At this point, Van Zieks and Ryu (and also Susato) actively start to take turns to explain the proper chronology of events. So the defense and the prosecution are in perfect sync right now, working together to explain the whodunnit. This is the ideal outcome to any trial, usually not seen until the last case of the game, so it's curious that this dynamic abruptly shows itself in a case like this. Van Zieks does still have one moment of gaslighting when he claims Ryu may have inhaled some dubious gas, causing his judgment to be clouded, since there's no motive behind Shamspeare's attempts on his fellow lodgers. A matter that's very easily resolved, of course. Once the name of Selden is brought up, Van Zieks continues our little game of back-and-forth-truth-reveal until (S)Holmes shows his face.

“Your usual haunts are the filthy backstreets of the capital, are they not?”

To which (S)Holmes replies that it's been too long, and Van Zieks's complexion has worsened since last they met. Alright, so Van Zieks and (S)Holmes definitely have met in person before, some undetermined amount of time ago. You'd think that going by (S)Holmes's friendly attitude they might've even been friends once, but our great detective is like that towards everyone. This is evidenced by an earlier encounter with Gregson where (S)Holmes insists they're friends and Gregson says that they're not friends, to which (S)Holmes quietly agrees. So really, this little exchange tells us nothing about the history between the great detective and the Reaper.

Some shenaniganry, a breakdown and admittance to guilt later, the court is finally ready to deem Soseki innocent. Van Zieks once again has some interesting lines here:

“And one I certainly didn't envisage walking... with you.”

Considering he attempted to trip us up for most of this walk up until the very last stretch, I don't like this remark very much. It feels very unearned. This is another one of those things that would've been more suitable in the last case of the game, but instead it's being crammed into a messy mid-game moment with the pretense that Van Zieks learned a lesson about being our ally.

In the defendant's lobby, the game basically gives the exact same dialogue as at the end of the original Clouded Kokoro case; that Soseki is returning to Japan and hopes to pen his own literature there, with the rest of the cast pointing out that the Reaper's Curse must factor into his decision to some degree. So we're still holding onto that question of whether Soseki will escape an untimely death or not. Anyone who's already played the last case of the first game will know the answer, of course.

So to summarize... I genuinely didn't enjoy Van Zieks's portrayal in this case. It really feels as if something went horribly wrong and they got some notes mixed up about where his character was already headed in the previous game. It's a crying shame. There was a lot of potential for a case set between 1-4 and 1-5, but they really dropped the ball when it comes to consistency and I've no doubt that it reflected badly on people's opinions of him. Though I think when we return to the first game for The Unspeakable Story, everything will right itself out again to some degree. Stay tuned!

[oof-big-oof]

ACOTAR and Setups Part II: Tamlin and Rhysand

SPOILERS: ACOTAR series (and Macbeth too ig)

Part 1: Feyre

In "Macbeth", Macbeth and Banquo are narrative foils to each other. While Banquo is loyal to the king and uses language of growth and imagery of nature when he speaks, the traitor Macbeth's words are full of references to destruction, fire, and unholy happenings. Foils are not just good ways to explore character traits, but also excellent for setting up conflicts and exploring the thematic concerns of the world.

I think it's safe to say Tamlin and Rhysand are foils. They have opposing imagery (spring, flowers and sun for Tamlin, winter, snow and night for Rhysand) and always stand in opposition to each other when it comes to Feyre's narrative, switching in and out of being the "bad guy" and the "good guy". But the way this is handled is .... eh.

I'm going to look at shifts in Feyre, Tamlin and Rhys that work of this foil - and try to look for when and how they were set up.

1. Feyre's shift - TW: discussions of abuse, mental health issues

In the first book, Tamlin is a source of protection and love for Feyre. But by the second book, Feyre is not only struggling with her PTSD but has begun to realise that life at the Spring Court as a dolled up accessory might not be for her. By the end of the book, she has found her place in the Night Court - by Rhysand's side. And honestly? Go girl! Go live up to your potential!

The problem arises with how this is done - that is, Sarah J Mass never does the brunt work of showing us why Feyre cares. It is plausible she is motivated by a desire to protect the human lands, but we never actually see that. There isn't a moment where she realises she needs to work for a greater good, or a moment she realises that she needs to protect those more vulnerable than her - instead, the narrative has her tolerating abuse until she finally has had enough.

Which is great. I have got to admit that I really like the explicit rejection of a happily ever after storyline for Feyre because it took away her agency. But we get this radical shift in character motivation from wanting to be protected and comfortable with those she loves to desiring agency and understanding of herself in two lines:

"The girl who had needed to be protected and who had craved stability and comfort... she had died Under the Mountain"

and

"I didn't know how to go back to those things. To being docile"

hhhhhh. I mean - if you have to say it that explicitly, you're already doing something wrong. But also, why? We never see Feyre struggling with herself in her new body, and wondering why she does not want the same things as she did when she was a human, never see an impetus point for when her desires shifted.

But honestly? I don't mind Feyre's arc. I think it's a bit confused and lacks clarity or intent, and as a result, it is harder to root for her because you don't quite know what she wants, but I think it's still quite good. Where I really have problems are with Tamlin ad Rhys.

2. Tamlin - TW: discussions of abuse, mental health issues

I am not a fan of Tamlin's arc. You could argue that it is part of the thematic message of the series: that things are not as they seem. Tamlin is the wolf to the savour to the abuser, Rhysand is the "most beautiful man " Feyre had ever seen to Amarantha's monster to Feyre's eventual mate. But - the constant twists are unnecessary, more importantly, they and have little to no foreshadowing and just seem like retcons- making it seem as if they are there to keep the audience guessing rather than genuine plot progressions. This becomes even more obvious when the series abandons its core theme of "appearance vs reality" altogether, and as a result loses a lot of its cohesion: a direct consequence of having a bad setup.

His reason for doing the abusive things he does is conveyed to us in two lines, in the same monologue that Feyre's motivation is:

"Tamlin had gotten his powers back, had become whole again - become that protector and provider he wished to be"

Sure. He was much more powerful than Feyre when they first met, so I am having a hard time buying it is the return of the powers that his making him act this way. We know that his actions come from a genuine desire to protect Feyre - this is the guy that was willing to sacrifice his life multiple times and the future of his entire court to keep her safe. The only justification we have left then for the way he acts is that his PTSD, borne out of the trauma and torture he underwent and watched Feyre undergo changed him in some way.

This is why the endless villainizing of Tamlin makes me really uncomfortable. While it is true that the abused can become the abuser, and figuring out how to help them while protecting yourself is something that absolutely needs to be discussed and explored - the way it is done with Tamlin is horrendous because he is never given a chance to heal. Instead, he is thrown from plot point to plot point, an eternal punching bag for the Inner Circle and others to seem morally superior in front of.

And his treatment of Feyre is just weird. If he's so concerned about her safety - why does he not wake up when she has nightmares? Is he instead trying to pretend like everything is okay - if so why does he give Feyre an escort of guards? If his core motivation is protecting Feyre at all costs - why does he lash out at her?? And the text really tries to tell us how to feel about him in this regard, but it doesn't do it very well. For example, take the scene where Tamlin says "There is no such thing as a High Lady". Feyre a second before expressed her desire not to take on any responsibility, and Tamlin responded with this - and the text really makes us want to hate him for it, but all you can see is a person who is perhaps not the best at reading subtext trying his best.

In conclusion - Tamlin's shift to the villain of the narrative is hamhanded and underexplained, making it hard to genuinely hate him, and further confusing the narrative.

3. Rhys the foil gets the girl - TW: discussions of abuse, sexual assault mental health issues

Rhysand in the first book is interesting - he clearly has a heart and a soft spot for Feyre but is also a schemer with dubious motives that drugs and sexually harasses Feyre. There are places in the set up where we understand he cares - but never where we can begin to see he might be a genuine paragon of virtue.

And I will address this more in my post on ACOMAF, but the point I am trying to make here is: we are told through the constantly opposing imagery that Rhys and Tamlin are wolds apart - but never actually given examples of how. Rhys is said to be different from Tamlin because he respects Feyre's choice - but he drugs her in a bunch of weird scenes (that serve no clear narrative purpose by the way - like what was he trying to achieve? why he couldn't he just let Feyre in on that part of the plan?) and withholds information from her about life-threatening situations. Rhys is said to pull less rank - but we multiple times see others defer to him, especially in later books, and never actually see rank being enforced in Tamlin's court with his treatment of Lucien (many times described as his partner, and openly questioning him) and later Ianthe. Rhys is said to have less archaic laws in opposition to Tamlin's Tithe - but he abandons the Court of Nightmares to the monsters who rule it, and never takes serious actions against the Illyrian people who clip of women's wings, and a lot of Tamlin's idea of racial superiority and general superiority just come completely out of left field in the middle of ACOMAF.

Both of them are problematic - it's just that the text tells us to root for one, without actually showing us how one is better, or setting up any clear ideological difference between them. And that cheapens Feyre's character shift and lessen the efficacy of the foil - turning it into Feyre hopping from one lover to the other with little to no character consistency and no nuanced exploration of the theme of the series or trauma.

[washymylifeaway]

SunaOsa fanfic recs: valentines edition~~

SunaOsa is one of my all time favorite ships and this past month, there has been/was an exchange going on between writers (here is the link) and artists (separately) and because I don’t have a life (or maybe it’s just that SunaOsa is my life LOL), I’m here to tell you some of my favorite fics from the pile :D However, as much as I love a ship, sometimes fluff is too asajndajnd so mind you there will probably be a lot of good fics missing just cause I couldn’t get myself to read more fluff (or angst) LOL (IM SORRY but sometimes I also just can’t motivate myself to read a fic no matter how good it looks OOPS).

As always, please check warning and tags before reading any of these fics, and take care of yourselves!!!!

In no particular order (jk the order is last updated haha) tho my favorites will have *** next to them :)

***glass stained black by unrequitedangst (E) 31k // Mafia AU’s are some of my favorite kinds of fics, and this one did not disappoint! The character development of Osamu is really legit and despite being mafia, it’s not that heavy or angst of a fic (but you should still definitely read tags and warnings first). It’s an Osamu heavy fic, and if you’re into reading him being stupid, go right ahead LOL.

redux by catalysis (T) 2.3k // ngl I hate break-up fics with a passion truely (when you can’t handle fluff or angst what to do) but I liked the concept for this one hehe (so I made myself suffer LOL). It was short, but cute !!! and the unspoken words really hit me in the FEELS (so what I’m dramatic fight me LOL).

Impropriety by DeathBelle (T) 5.7k // royalty~ I love the banter between them in this fic and we DO stan respectful Osamu yes we do <33333 The relationships between not only SunaOsa but SunaAtsu (because even though it isn’t really SunaAtsu best friend agenda, I can delude myself into think it is okay :/) are done so well and so nice he’s mean Osamu is best Osamu.

***what are you waiting for? by Slumber (T) 3.7k // MIGHT BE MY FAV FIC FROM THIS EXCHANGE!!! It made me cackle and I love how they learn new things about each other!!!! Like the development is so good and Suna is really doing the MOST!! Also, I love recursive endings AHHHHHH!

agape by sketchedsmiles (T) 11.7k // soulmates, then they were SOULMATES! (ik that’s not how it goes but pls just humor me LOL) This fic really depicted Osamu’s insecurities/internal turmoil/overthinking really well and the realization he has vs Suna’s AHJAFKASFJ. I love confident Suna.

fireside by tartaglia (starkartifices) (T) 3.6k // we do love the subtle flirt flirt don’t we hehe ;) It’s short, it’s fluff, and it’s funny - what more could you ask for? Also whats a vigilante fic if there isn’t at least one pun about being a vigilante LOL.

Over and Over Again by tookumade (G) 6.4k // I would like to order one reassuring, reliable Miya Osamu for myself please and thank you :((( The way the relationship is so GOOD like both Suna and Osamu pick each other up and they know the other has their back ajfhkajdfl. I would purchase all the onigiri with the deal Suna was proposing ;) Onigirintarou.

from here to eternity by TheGlovedArtist (T) 6.6k // I for one am a big fan of mythology and stuff (heroes of olympus but like IDR any of the plot LOL) so of course I read this fic. The snark appearances of Sakusa and Komori gave me LIFE and the difference in descriptions from Astumu and Kita cracked me up. This is another respectful Osamu fic (yes I love these) and in this one it was a ‘I save you as much as you save me’ type beat LOL. Gotta love rings.

***Subtle Inarizaki Dating by sifuhotman (T) 15.2k // THIS ONE. Even if you don’t read the whole thing, I beg of you, please, I AM ON MY KNEES, read the SID for Astumu. It is worth the loss of all your brain calls I guarantee it. It made me giggle so freakin much. Suna might be an A-Hole but he’s OUR A-Hole <3

Forever Begins with 8 Seconds by subtlehues (T) 3.9k // FLUFF hehe, I love their dynamic in this one it’s very good and cute and everything great! Also, I am all for the head cannon that Suna cannot cook, yes pls. Also SUPERPOWERS whooooooooh.

***try again, and again, and again by rosegoldwriting (T) 2.6k // SOULMATES! If you ever wanted a specific soulmate AU! for SunaOsa look no further, it probably comes out LOL. I love this concept of them just being like ‘WTF’ everyday, it gives me life. Also, count how many soulmate AU’s you recognized because I just thought about it and I think it’d be fun LOL. (I went back and I think 11 but I’m not sure LOL)

let us burn by SilverMoonT (G) 13.5k // I am always up for a nice vampire Osamu and witch Suna (which believe it or not, is my second one because I read the other one by this writer LOL) This one is more Suna POV and it really goes into his fears and desires, and I like the way Osamu pushes him to live more freely.

***reasons to microwave an elixir by spiritscript (T) 8.2k // THIS ONE. UGH I love, and it’s funny and cute and it EVEN HAS CRIME (kinda not really but yes)! I love the quiet moments they have and the PET AHHHHHHH! We love medic Osamu :DDDDD But also the betrayal and the sparring (and the irony at the end LOL) AJSKJNFK.

we fall between by stringendos (T) 14.7k // honestly the entire time I was just screaming at my computer, begging for them to hurry up and realize, but alas this is a ~slow burn~ for a reason and the tag ‘exes who act like theyre married’ really is the reason I read it and I do not regret LOL. Also bless Matsuda and stan her.

All the Time in the World by minie_ai (M) 8.8k // we love immortality! Denial! And Suna mentally filing away blackmail against people (namely Astumu) LOL. Running away from your problems is always the answer (I am saying this is a not sarcastic manner because I too, run away from my problems LOL) but ramen is ALWAYS a good answer. We love ourselves some emotional constipation LOL.

***none but you by broikawa (T) 7.2k // everything is a competition always LOL, not that I’m complainin but still LOL EVERYTHING. I really love this one because I love the progression and cock-block SakuAtsu hehe. I love them being synchronized idiots <3

it all comes back to you, (my home) by iritaescents (T) 4.5k // FOREVER, WE STAN FOREVER. Anyway, LOL this was is very very cute and fluff and not slow burn, it fast burn LOL. It’s a cute fic to read and it even has our favorite, now say it with me SOULMATES LOL.

Can't help falling in bed with you by tirralirra (T) 6.7k // here we see a 5 + 1 with points for the title (I think it’s very funny LOL my humor is bad ;)) Not that it really needs extra points because it’s a great fic in itself LOL but I really liked the title so I felt the need to share this with you all (OOPS). This was so cute, and the + 1 is HILARIOUS.

It’s no longer up :(((((( -> love's consequences by xginpuff (T) 6.5k // WARNINGS AND TAGS been a while since we had an angsty fic in this list (LOL the way I just tried to avoid all of them hehe). I read the tags but ngl I was still surprised later LOL maybe I’m just dumb, but anyway IK it starts out a bit confusing, but after you read more, you’ll get into it!

***sunagashi by bastigod (T) 9.8k // if there’s anything I like more than mythology, it’s folklore LOL. I love this fic and the plot is written so artfully AHDSAJN. Also the scene with the Ume-chan and her comment (so snarky I love). Also they way I went through so much trouble trying to figure out the kanji LOL (SPOILER it’s miyarin hehe)

catch me (while i'm still runnin') by lunarins (T) 4.3k // first and foremost, may we have a moment of silence for Komori and his eyebrows..... Continuing, this fic was so good because I love a good heist hehe. Their slight of hand abilities really doing the most LOL, and the ending OMG. I love the way the writer added in how they appeared to others during the heist, it really made it so good! Ugh to have a painting class and almost die LOL.

***if we get this right by Slumber (G) 5k // OLD FRIEND plsplspls I love this fic and I love how Osamu slowly relearns who he knew Suna as AHHH. The ending, again UGH, I really loved it and their banter with one another.

The Study of Suna Rintarou by DeathBelle (T) 6.1k // PLEASE the way Osamu kept getting offended omg. But also the effort Suna puts into getting to know Osamu, I was in ~love~. Read to me Osamu, READ TO ME. But also the Osamu is an oblivious MF agenda is alive and well within this fic hehe.

Take a Hint by pancake_surprise (G) 2.3k // ok so I had just read a tumbr post about the one bed thing and then I saw this fic. It was like the stars aligned okay? I was like, ig I HAVE to read it now hehe. But seriously read it, it’s cute and like everything else, of course there’s a challenge to be made LOL.

Heatwave by pancake_surprise (G) 2.1k // the way they were dating without knowing they were dating man. The tag ‘Didn't Know They Were Dating‘ more accurate than the ‘first dates’ one LOL jk but actually tho am I kidding? It’s the first official one IG. LOL anyway, we do love the doin of the defining of relationships. Yup.

If you made it all the way down here, CONGRATS LOL. Like I said, I didn’t read all of them (sadly) and these were the ones i did read LOL. I might add more depending on whether I can motivate myself into reading fics I know will be good LOL so we’ll see heh. Honestly, I thought I was gonna get word counted, but YAY we finished (for now hehe). Also sorry for any possible typos (is this no beta we die like men?) I’m running on 90 min of sleep so my engrish be strugglin LOL. Be safe and wear masks :)